


Miraculously, Here's Set Eleven: More Miraculous Drabbles

by seasonofthegeek



Series: Miraculous Drabbles [11]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: each drabble stands alone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 03:03:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 25,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21264029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seasonofthegeek/pseuds/seasonofthegeek
Summary: This is my eleventh (apparently I'm never going to stop) round of 100 Miraculous Drabbles. Each drabble stands alone unless otherwise noted. Feel free to skip around to different character sets which will be listed in the chapter titles (character sets don't always indicate romantic pairing but sometimes do). You can also follow me on tumblr at seasonofthegeek. Enjoy!





	1. Adrien/Chat Noir, Nino, and Marinette

“My stomach feels all bubbly. Is that supposed to happen? Should I tell someone?” Adrien rubbed his sweaty palms down his jeans and looked around the small waiting room anxiously.

“Relax, dude. It’s okay to be a little freaked when you give blood, but it’ll be fine. This is, like, my third time.” Nino wiggled his index finger. “And look, they had Chat Noir bandages after the finger pricks.”

“I got a Ladybug one.” Adrien held his finger up and a little color returned to his cheeks. “I guess it’s silly to be so nervous.”

“Nah, everybody gets nervous. You won’t catch Alya back here. She’s saying today it’s because she’s on her period and can’t--”

“More information than I needed.”

“She doesn’t try to keep it a secret. I’m surprised you didn’t already hear her complaining about it today. But really she has a thing about needles,” Nino continued with a shrug. “I mean, I know the period thing doesn’t help, but this just isn’t something she feels like she can do and that’s okay. Besides, it keeps Rena Rouge out there at the event and in charge with the others while we’re in here.”

“Are you trying to tell me it’s okay to chicken out?”

A technician appeared at the doorway and called Nino’s name. He turned to smile at Adrien as he stood. “All I’m saying is that you save the day on the regular. I wouldn’t blame you for not going through with this if you’re not up to it.” He took a few steps and then turned back again. “Marinette was just a little behind us in line so she’ll probably be in here to wait with you soon.” 

Adrien took in a deep, calming breath but felt his anxiety ratchet up a notch once Nino was gone and he didn’t recognize anyone else in the waiting room. He could leave now. Nino was right. No one was going to judge him if he couldn’t do this, not any of his friends anyway. 

He could slip into the room they’d been using and transform back into Chat Noir and go back out and help with the other events the hospital was putting on to raise money for the new children’s wing. No one would question a thing and he wouldn’t have to go through with this unknown experience. 

“Are you okay? You look a little pale.”

He blinked up to see Marinette looking down at him, expression slightly worried. He cleared his throat and pasted on a smile. “Yeah, just a little nervous.”

“First time giving blood?” She sat down beside him and easily slid her arm into the crook of his. 

It still amazed him sometimes to have Marinette touch him so casually. They’d known each other’s identities for years now but every once in the while, it still caught him off guard. She always seemed to sense when he needed her. 

“Yeah. I want to do it, but, ya know...” He trailed off lamely and let his eyes drift to the television in the corner showing live coverage of the event being held outside. King Monkey was tossing random items through portals Pegasus was creating all through the crowd, much to the joy of the children all around.

“I’ve done it a few times now but my stomach still gets all bubbly.” She gave a little shake and her use of the same description he’d used earlier with Nino made Adrien smile.

“I know exactly the feeling you mean, Bugaboo.”

Her eyes narrowed but sparkled with amusement as she leaned a little closer and lowered her voice. “You know not to use that nickname right now, Kitty.”

“What can I say? You make me want to break the rules.” He grinned at her and this time it was genuine and full of mischief. 

Marinette put the tip of her finger to his nose in a familiar gesture and pushed lightly. “Save it for the cameras, you ham.”

“Adrien?”

The color leaked away from Adrien’s face as he looked from Marinette to the technician waiting at the door. 

“Um, would it be possible for us to wait and go together?” Marinette asked, sitting a little forward in her seat. “I’m kinda nervous.”

“That’s no problem. A second chair should be open in just a few minutes. We have three people finishing up now.”

She sat back in her chair as the technician left once again and Adrien let out an audible sigh of relief. 

“You didn’t have to do that, you know.”

“I know,” she nodded, slipping her arm back through his like it was the most natural thing in the world. “But we’re a team so we’ll do this like a team.” She reached over to tap her bandaged finger over his and the black Chat Noir print caught the light. 

“Cat and Bug forever? Adrien asked, melting more and more with each passing second.

“Bug and Cat,” Marinette corrected. “Forever and ever.”


	2. Chloe and Nathaniel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This drabble was requested by @27percentonrottentomatoes for some angsty Chloe/Nathaniel with the song “Somebody You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi as inspiration. You wanted the pain, sweets, so here we go :)

“So after everything, this is it then? You’re done, just like that?” Chloe crossed her arms as Nathaniel pulled another scruffy suitcase out of the depths of the closet. 

He paused to looked up at her and his expression was pained. “Do you really not understand what you did to me tonight, Chloe?”

“I can’t believe you’re taking it this seriously. I told you I was just teasing you about your art.”

“You teased me in front of a gallery full of people. People who came to see my art.” His cheeks flushed with anger. “I finally got up the courage to put my stuff on display, to put myself out there,” he clutched at his heart as if his hand was the only thing keeping it in his chest, “and you mocked me in front of everyone.” His face crumpled. “You know what each piece has meant to me and you were so cruel. You told complete strangers some of my deepest, darkest thoughts like it was no big deal. You made light of it all.”

She shifted uncomfortably, wishing she’d taken off her high heels before they’d started the fight. She couldn’t very well do it now. Nathaniel was actually upset. She hadn’t expected... No. She’d known what she was doing when she did it. If there was anything Chloe Bourgeois excelled at, it was self-sabotage.

“I didn’t mean...I was...I didn’t expect it to bother me so much to see you and Marc together at the gallery so I may have acted out a little.”

Nathaniel shook his head and unzipped the suitcase. He turned to the chest of drawers behind him and opened the third one to start taking out his shirts. “I’ve told you so many times that we’re just friends.”

“He’s in love with you! Why can’t you see that?!” Chloe felt all the insecurities she kept bottled up start to spew out like a soda can that had been shaken a little too much. 

He dropped a stack of shirts in the suitcase and dropped his head. “I don’t think he is but even if he was...Chlo, I love you. That’s all that should matter. You were the one I wanted.” He met her eyes with sadness filling his. “But I just can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep making excuses for you.”

“Making excuses for me,” she echoed. “What’s that mean?”

“I have friends who can’t understand how we’re together. They think you’re selfish and petty and spoiled, and I always thought they just didn’t know you the way I did, but maybe I’m the one who was wrong. I thought I saw something in you that was different, but...” He trailed off and returned to packing.

Fear rushed through her like a flood and she crossed the room, gripping his arm so he couldn’t life another stack of shirts. “Please don’t do this, Nath. Please don’t leave,” she begged. “I know...I know I was a bitch. I know I’m a bitch a lot, but I can be better. I’m trying to be better.”

His shoulders dropped. “I just don’t know if I can believe you. You really hurt me tonight. I don’t know if you get how I feel right now.”

“You can tell people my secrets. We’ll be even.” She knew she was crying now and she wiped at the tears in irritation. She hated crying in front of anyone, even Nathaniel. 

He shook his head sadly and pulled away from her enough to grab the shirts. “I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to hurt you. That’s not how you treat people you love.”

The accusation in his unsaid words felt like a brick in Chloe’s stomach. She wanted to fight him. She wanted to scream and tell him to stop being stupid. She wanted to guilt him into staying, to belittle him into bending to her will. She wanted to...

She wiped at her eyes again as fresh tears welled up. “Will you come back?” she asked, straightening her spine even as her voice shook.

He paused in packing a set of pants and finally looked back at her. “I’m not sure.”

Chloe nodded and swallowed against the lump in her throat. “Okay.”

There was nowhere she could hide in the apartment that he might not find her before he left so Chloe grabbed her purse and quietly let herself out the door without another word. She walked the darkened streets numbly, uncaring that it wasn’t safe, and when Chat Noir found her hunched over and crying on a bench in the park, she didn’t fight him when he took her back to his apartment.  
___

“You want coffee?” Adrien offered, holding out a cup.

Chloe took it without comment and stared at the steam rising up from the dark liquid. Her head ached and her eyes felt puffy and her neck was strained from sleeping on his couch the night before. 

“Are you ready to talk about it?”

“Nathaniel left me.”

“Oh.” Adrien frowned and settled into the armchair beside her. “I’m sorry.”

“I deserved it.”

“Chloe, I don’t think--”

“I deserved it,” she repeated. “And I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

His brow furrowed but he nodded and settled back into his chair. “Okay,” he said softly. “I’m here if you change your mind.”  
___

It took two more nights on Adrien’s couch and a comment from Alix about how she looked even worse than she smelled that finally convinced Chloe to go back to her apartment. 

The light was on just inside the door because Nathaniel always left the light on for her when he knew she was getting in late. She didn’t bother turning it off as she walked further into the apartment. 

She expected it to feel empty, but it didn’t. All the furniture was still in place because it had all been hers. Their bedroom looked mostly the same, though the bit of the closet she could see through the half-open door was less full than it had been. The bed was even still made from the morning before the art show, but the top cover was mussed at the end where the suitcase had been. Chloe ran her hand along the bumps of fabric without smoothing them out.

She moved on to the bathroom like a ghost haunting a place long abandoned and noted the missing razor and shaving cream from the shelf below the mirror. Only one toothbrush was in the cup now and her stick of deodorant stood alone. She stared into her reflection and couldn’t rally any kind of feeling. She was numb.

“You did it again,” she murmured. “Congratulations on being utterly unlovable.”  
___

“I don’t know why I’m here,” Chloe said, crossing her arms. “This was probably a mistake.”

The therapist gave her a gentle smile. “It’s okay not to know why you reached out, Chloe, but the fact that you reached out is a good sign. You know you need help and it’s okay to admit that.”

She gritted her teeth and held back the instant retort that sprung to the tip of her tongue.

“I see in your questionnaire that you recently went through a break-up. Would you like to talk about that?”

Chloe clenched her jaw. “No.”

“Okay,” the therapist nodded. “May I ask if it was your first serious relationship?”

She blinked in surprise. “Uh, yeah, it was.”

“I see.”

“I never really cared about anyone before...him.”

“That can make it doubly hard,” the older woman nodded. “Especially if you’ve opened up to that person.”

“Yeah.” Chloe dropped her hands to her lap and looked at the uneven nails. She’d really been letting herself go. “I just...I think I thought he actually saw me, the me I wish I was.” She scowled. “That probably doesn’t make sense.”

“I think it makes perfect sense.”

She dared a glance at the therapist but quickly dropped her eyes. There was no way she was going to get through this if she kept reminding herself of the stranger across from her, but she somehow hoped this could be penance for what she’d done to Nathaniel. “If he saw that version of me and still left, I must be even worse than I thought.” She hadn’t meant to let the words come out. They’d floated through her mind and before she realized it, they were whispering out from between her lips.

“What version of Chloe do you want to be?”

“What do you mean?”

“If you could sit down and make of list of attributes you wish others saw in you, what would they be?”

Her face screwed up in thought. “I guess I just want to be me, but a version of me who doesn’t screw everything up.”

“How do you think you screw things up?”

“I’m mean. I know how to hurt people with my words and I do it.” Tears stung her eyes and she ignored them. They were so familiar now. 

“Why do you think you do that?”

“I don’t know,” she huffed. “Aren’t you supposed to know why my brain does stupid stuff? I’m going to be paying you enough to.”

The therapist gave her a patient nod. “I can draw my own theories, but you’re the one who knows yourself best, Chloe.”

“People never really seem to like me,” she finally answered after a long stretch of silence. “Even when I’m trying, they don’t...I’ve just never been that person people want to talk to, so I found other ways to get attention, I guess.”

“By saying and doing mean things?”

“Yeah.” Chloe shrugged. “I thought I was getting past it and then...I thought I was going to lose Nathaniel to someone else and kinda freaked out and just...just word vomited all over the place. I wanted to hurt him before he could hurt me.”

“And that’s why he left?”

“Yeah, not the best plan, but definitely a norm for me.”

“What made Nathaniel different from the other people in your life?”

Chloe froze, realizing she’d been talking about her relationship when she’d said she didn’t want to before. She was tempted to shut down and refuse to answer, but she’d come here willingly and she may as well try. She had nothing else to lose.

“He felt safe, I think.”

“And do you think you loved him before or after you realized he made you feel safe?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted.

Her therapist nodded and made a note on her pad. “That’s okay. Sometimes we don’t know why we do the things we do, and sometimes we can figure it out after a while.”

“And you think this can help me be better?” Chloe asked, voice small.

“I think you wanting to come here and try is already a sign that you’re on your way.”  
___

Chloe had been in therapy for two months when Nathaniel contacted her about meeting up for coffee. She’d read the simple text at least a hundred times before she replied that she needed more time. After a day of anxiety-ridden waiting, he replied back that he could wait.

She wasn’t sure if she’d be ready to be in a relationship again anytime soon. She still had her demons to slay and the fear that she would revert into the version of herself she was trying to bury jumped to the forefront of her mind. She needed to be better for herself before she could worry about anyone else; she wanted to be better for herself. But she couldn’t obsess over that. Change didn’t come all at once.

She would take everything one day at a time. That’s all she could do.

And with a little hope and an effort to be the version of herself she wanted to be, she could make it. She would make it.


	3. Ladybug and Chat Noir

“I wanna move because I’m starting to get sore in this position, but I also don’t wanna move because you’re actually pretty comfy, Chaton.” Ladybug rested her chin on Chat Noir’s chest and looked down at him. She was spread out along his side and nestled in close, one strong arm keeping her in place against him. 

“Well, we are laying on concrete, Bugaboo. Soreness will happen.” He reluctantly loosened his hold on her and grunted as he pushed himself up enough to rest his weigh on his elbows while she sat up. “That was nice though.”

She smiled back at him. “It really was. We should do it more often.”

“If you would dream like this more often, maybe we would,” he teased. “Although maybe you could dream us onto a bed or a couch or a room made of pillows next time. We should have food too. Food is great.”

Ladybug frowned and looked around them, realizing the city she knew should be there was little more than a blurry haze. “I am dreaming, aren’t I? I thought this was real for a minute.”

He shrugged. “It could be. It feels real.”

“But it isn’t. Why does this keep happening?”

“A few minutes ago you were relaxed and happy and very warm against my side and it was nice. Why question it?” Chat Noir was smiling but the edges of his expression were brittle. He was waiting for the other shoe to drop. She knew that look on his face too well.

“Because I can’t keep letting myself fall into this!” Ladybug stood and paced in front of the picnic blanket. “It makes it hard to decipher dream from reality.”

“And you really think we couldn’t be like this in reality?”

She paused. “It wouldn’t be safe.”

“Why?”

“Because Hawk Moth would try to use us against each other.”

Chat Noir settled into a more comfortable position and tilted his head to the side to watch her. “He already does that. It’s no secret that we’ll protect each other.”

“But it would be different.”

“How so?”

She stomped her foot. “It just would be, Chat!”

He studied his claws. “I think you’re just scared.”

“I told you I’m afraid Hawk Moth would--”

“Not of that.” He waved his hand and then stood so he could close the distance between them. “You’re scared of letting me in and I wish I knew why.”

“It just wouldn’t work.”

“It already works.” He cupped her cheek, thumb rubbing carefully along the soft skin without letting the tip of his claw mark her. “We work. You know we do.”

Ladybug swallowed thickly and finally met his eyes. “But what happens if we stop working one day?”

His brow furrowed beneath his mask. “What do you mean?”

She shook her head, dislodging his hand and dropping her gaze once more. “I can’t lose you. What if we try being together like this and it doesn’t work for some reason? I don’t want to ever not be friends.”

“I’ve loved you since the first day I met you. That’s not going to change,” he replied simply. 

“It could.”

“It won’t.”

“We don’t know our real names. We don’t know anything outside the masks.”

“We could.”

She scowled. “You make it sound easy.”

“Because it is, my Lady. We love each other.” 

“You’re just saying that because you’re my dream and it’s what I want to hear.”

“If it’s something you want to hear, you sure are denying it.” Chat Noir gave her a sad smile. “You’re waking up. I can always tell.”

“I don’t want to. Not yet.” She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her nose to the crook of his neck and inhaling deeply. He smelled like...

Nothing.

Marinette opened her eyes slowly, saw soft sunlight filtering in from the skylight over her bed, and she felt cold.  
___

"I thought we deserved a break tonight, my Lady.” Chat Noir beamed at his partner and spread his arms wide to gesture to the pizza boxes set on top of a picnic blanket. “No patrol, no akumas, just us enjoying some rapidly cooling pizza together.”

Ladybug flashed back to the dream she had so often about her partner and eyed the blanket warily. It looked nothing like the one they used when she slept so she finally sat down with a reluctant sigh. “This might not be the best idea.”

“Oh, but it is.” Chat Noir opened one of the boxes and slid it closer to her. “Garlic knots with extra marinara sauce because I know you like to dip a lot.”

That pulled a smile from her and she nodded. “I do.”

“And a half and half pizza with mushrooms and pepperoni for me and extra cheese and italian sausage for you.”

“You’ve just thought of everything.”

“Not everything,” he groaned. “I forgot drinks and napkins, but I can go grab them if you want to start. I didn’t want to go back and risk missing you.”

An idea struck her and she gave her partner the smile he deserved. She liked the way his eyes widened a little when she did. “I think I have some things that would help too. I can go grab them while you go get the other stuff and we’ll meet back here.”

“It’s a date, Bugaboo.” He winked in the charming way he had, already recovering from her sudden brilliant smile throwing him off.

She tapped his bell coyly. “Yes, it is, Kitty.” Before he could reply, Ladybug took off in the direction of her home without looking back.

She tried not to think too much as she landed on her balcony and slipped down into her room. She grabbed the large cat pillow off her bed and frowned, looking around her room. She left the pillow and went down to the trunk below to pull out a plush blanket. Neither item would be easy to carry but she thought she could manage. She had a massive tote bag from her last Ikea trip with Alya that should do the trick. She stuffed the pillow and blanket into the bag and took off back in the direction of Chat Noir and the picnic.

He hadn’t returned when she reached their spot and doubt crept into her mind. She thought about all the discussions she’d had with Dream Chat about why something couldn’t work between them. There were dangers and identity issues and...

“Those will go perfect with what I brought.”

Chat Noir’s voice shattered the wall she’d begun to build up between them again. He lifted a laptop bag. “Want to watch something while we eat?”

While Ladybug knew it was just dinner and a movie with her partner, her closest friend, she also knew it was taking a step towards something so much more. And despite all her hesitations and misgivings, she was ready to put one foot in front of the other.

“I’d love to.”


	4. Marinette and Plagg

“Well, I have to have a helmet,” Marinette pointed out, gesturing to the sketch in her notebook. “That’s motorcycle safety rule number one. Also, I look really good in a helmet. I can pull it off.” 

Plagg peered down at the pencil lines and scoffed. “I doubt it’s rule number one, but if you insist on a helmet, we can come up with something pretty cool. Although you’re already pretty indestructible with me around.”

“Still though.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“And no long braid this time. It’d get caught in the tires or something.” She winced and shook out the bad feeling it gave her.

“But think about how awesome we’ll look with your hair flowing out behind you in the wind,” the kwami pointed out and flicked his thin tail. “And it’s your tail. You can’t be the Black Cat with no tail.”

“Then give me a different kind of tail next time.”

He tapped his chin. “I’ll think about it. You know, you sure are being picky. Adrien’s never been this picky.”

“Adrien chose a bell and a suit that looks like it’s a cross between Catwoman and a biker.” Marinette didn’t try to hide her smile. “I want to go for something different, but maybe I’ll just stick with something simple.”

“Shocking from the one who usually wears spotted footie pajamas.”

“Watch it. Tikki said she needs to preserve her energy for the Cure so I don’t bother trying to change my suit.”

“She’s feeding you garbage with that. Tikki likes to keep it simple because that’s what she likes,” Plagg argued. “Me? I like a challenge.”

“You’re too lazy to want a real challenge.” Marinette poked his belly as he floated just above her sketchbook. “Will this be a challenge for you?”

“Hardly. I can do anything,” he answered with a definite lack of humility. “The motorcycle is something I’ve never done before though. I won’t bother keeping a hold on it in reality if it isn’t of use to you.”

“Oh! Can it be pink?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not the pink cat,” he sneered. “I can’t do it.”

She blinked big eyes at him. “But I thought you could do anything. Surely you can create a pink motorcycle.” A teasing smirk broke through the surprised look she was trying to hold and Plagg narrowed his eyes. 

“You aren’t tricking me like you do the kid with a flutter of those lashes, Spots.”

“It was worth a try.”

“Mmmhmm.”

Marinette began to sketch again and Plagg curled up on the desk just beyond her book to watch her with half-lidded eyes. He doubted much would come of their planning and talking but it was a nice change to spend time with Marinette every once in the while. It helped that he knew Tikki would be spoiling Adrien silly in their time together. The bond between their holders had grown exponentially since they’d begun these little experiments of working with each other’s powers. It was almost exciting.

Plagg yawned loudly.

Almost.

“I guess we have been working hard today,” Marinette commented, setting her pencil down. “It might even be time for a snack.”

“I love it when you speak my language, Spots.” Plagg made a show of stretching and yawning again before lifting up into the air so he could then perch on the young woman’s shoulder as she went for the trapdoor in her floor. In his many centuries of existence, he’d never experience relationships with holders quite like the ones he had now and he found himself hoping that somehow they’d never end.


	5. Marinette and Chat Noir

“I like your hair like that.”

The comment drove a spike of reality through Marinette’s bramble of thoughts and she spun on her heel and looked back at the empty street. The sun was beginning to set and she could still make out the muffled sounds of people yelling and playing in the park half a block behind her. She turned back with a frown and came face to face with Chat Noir.

“Looking for me, Princess?” He gave her one of his charming smiles, all teeth and amusement. 

She laughed in surprise and took a step back. “Where were you hiding?”

He pointed to one of the brick columns to their right. “I wasn’t hiding, just sitting.”

“You make a habit of sitting up there and catcalling innocent civilians just trying to get home?” she teased and began to walk again, happy when Chat Noir fell easily into step at her side.

“Only when it’s you.”

“Mmmhmm. I highly doubt that, you alley cat.”

He ignored her comment and tugged gently at the end of her hair. “I really do like your hair like this,” he repeated. “You don’t wear it down very often, at least not that I’ve seen.”

She blushed and ducked her head. “Uh, yeah, it’s just something I’ve been trying out lately.” She nervously tucked it behind her right ear and Chat Noir watched as her finger hesitated at the dark earring in her lobe. 

“It suits you. Not that I don’t love the pigtails because you’d look lovely in any style,” he added with a wink. “But this is a beautiful change.”

“I appreciate it. You look very nice yourself.” She was trying to hold back a smile and Chat Noir was glad to see her cheeks were still quite flushed.

“This old thing?” He flicked the bell just below his neck carelessly. “I’ve had it for ages.”

“Doesn’t make it any less nice.”

Chat Noir felt his own face warm and he looked down to hide his smile. “Thanks.”

“How did I get lucky enough to deserve a walk home from one of the heroes of Paris?” Marinette asked. There was an amused glint in her eye when she spoke that kept a smile on Chat Noir’s face.

“It just so happens that I was sitting on that column and waiting for my one true love to turn the corner,” he sighed dramatically. “So I guess you’re stuck with me forever now. Fate and all that.”

“Fate has a sense of humor then.” The humor leaked out of her voice.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m just coming from a place I thought I would see my one true love,” she shrugged. “That sounds so dramatic.” She fidgeted with her hair again. “It was silly to get my hopes up.”

“Hope’s never silly, Marinette. Maybe the timing was just off. It happens. Believe me, it happens to me a lot.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I was supposed to be somewhere else tonight, but it didn’t work out.”

“That stinks.”

“It really does.”

“Maybe you should spend less time perching on top of columns in the future.” She shot him a playful smile and Chat Noir accepted it with grace.

“I’ll have to keep that in mind. To be fair though, I wasn’t supposed to be there either.”

They arrived at the bakery as the night took on a dark gray quality, the day dying away. The lights burned warmly through the windows to make patches of bright safety along the cobblestone outside. 

“Thanks for keeping me company on my walk, Chat Noir.” Marinette reached up to needlessly tuck her hair behind her ear again and he beat her to it with the motion, claws barely touching the delicate shell of her ear. They both held their breath as the universe slowed around them and then the moment passed and Chat Noir dropped his hand and stepped back with a cough.

“It was my pleasure, Ms. Dupain-Cheng.” He gave her an exaggerated bow. “I hope you have a good rest of your night.”

“And I hope you find whoever it is you’re looking for.” 

He blinked in surprise and wasn’t sure what to make of the sad smile she gave him before she waved and slipped into the bakery without another word. A familiar thought nagged at the edges of his consciousness but he tucked it away for later examination and basked in the warmth of the bakery for a few seconds longer before sliding away alone into the night.


	6. Nathalie and Penny

“Sorry I’m late. I caught Jagged looking up exotic pet dealers because he’s gotten the idea in his head that Fang needs a sibling.” Penny slid into the booth with a sigh. “I had to make him pinky promise not to buy one while I was out.”

Nathalie raised an eyebrow as she lifted her espresso cup to her lips. “And that works?”

“It was a fifty-fifty gamble,” she shrugged. “The real thing working in my favor is Jagged never bothers to learn any of his credit card numbers and I have all his cards in my wallet. But most of the time, he’ll honor a pinky promise.”

“Interesting.”

Penny smiled over her menu. “Are you telling me Gabriel Agreste doesn’t believe in the pinky promise?”

“I’m not sure he knows what it is.” Nathalie’s lips quirked at the corner. “Although I’m tempted to try it with him. It would be interesting to see anyway.”

“I still don’t know how you spend so much time with him. He’s so...stuffy.”

“But organized,” she pointed out. “Meticulous. Stable.” 

“Stable might be a stretch,” Penny muttered under her breath.

“I’ll take that over a flakey rock star deciding he wants to fly out of the country to surf at three in the morning any day.”

“That was one time. And are you really going to tell me Gabriel hasn’t ever had you out doing something you didn’t want to do at three in the morning?”

Nathalie kept her expression blank and didn’t reply.

Penny grinned and slid her menu to the empty space beside her. “Uh-huh. What are you going to get?”

“I think a salad. I have a dinner engagement so I don’t want to ruin my appetite.”

“A dinner engagement? Do I sense a new man in the picture?” Penny set her elbows on the table and propped her chin in her hands. 

“It’s nothing of the sort. This is a work function.”

“A Gabriel function, you mean.”

“Yes, that is the name of the company I work for.” 

“Ah, so that’s the mood we’re in today.” Penny sat back with a sigh. “I’m getting a sandwich. A big sandwich with everything they can possibly put on it.”

“I think I might do that too actually. It sounds much better than a salad.” Nathalie glanced at the menu once more before setting it on top of the other. “Is there anything new in your life that doesn’t concern Mr. Stone?”

“Probably no more than anything in yours that doesn’t have to do with Mr. Agreste.” She frowned. “That’s kinda sad, isn’t it? I don’t think other people live like this.”

“Are you growing tired of playing babysitter?”

“You really don’t give Jagged enough credit, Nat. You never have. He’s a good man, and he takes care of me in his own way.” Penny shook her head. “And it’s not him, not really. It’s not so much the work either. I don’t know what it is.”

“It’s living for someone else.” Nathalie’s voice was quiet. “Everything we do is for them.”

“I don’t like the way that sounds.”

“Do you deny it’s the truth? It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s what we’ve chosen for ourselves.”

Penny watched her friend busy herself with checking her phone and felt a little sad. “I don’t believe that, not completely.”

“Why?” Nathalie looked up at her.

“Because we make time for this.” Penny smiled and tapped the table between them. “Every Wednesday for lunch. Sure, we’ve missed a few here and there when we’re out of town but it’s a standing appointment between us.”

“I don’t think I understand your point.”

“Well, we definitely don’t do it for them. Jagged hates when I leave him.” 

Nathalie nodded with understanding, a small smile playing at her lips. “That’s true. Gabriel has wanted me to cancel more than once. Today, even.”

“And you told him to stuff it?”

“I told him I would be back when I was finished.”

Penny laughed. “Then we should go shopping too. Maybe see a movie. Really drag it out.”

“It’s tempting.”

“Then let’s do it! It’s my birthday in a couple of weeks, we can blame it on that. We can blame the next few Wednesdays on that.”

“I think Jagged’s rubbing off on you. You used to be much more sensible,” Nathalie teased.

“And you used to know how to loosen up,” Penny shot back with wink. “So what do you say?”

Nathalie thought of the emails that would pile up in her inbox and the akuma that Gabriel might not release if he didn’t know where she was. “I think it sounds like a lovely Wednesday afternoon.”


	7. Nino, Alya, and Jude

Nino roused when he heard soft grunts beside him. He blinked groggily, taking a few long seconds to realize he was half reclining on the couch with a snoring Alya propped up against his side. It took him another few moments to remember why they’d fallen asleep on the couch and then there was another frustrated grunt and he looked down at the newborn cradled in his wife’s arms. Jude’s face screwed up in irritation and his next grunt rang out as a warning that a loud cry was coming next if someone didn’t pay him attention. 

Nino carefully slid out from his place by Alya and gently pulled their child away from her loosened arms. She mumbled and he assured her he had Jude before she melted down into a lying position. He’d need to bring her a blanket after he took care of his son.

His son.

It was an odd feeling now that Jude was really in the world. They’d been planning his arrival for months, expectant and excited and nervous, and now that he was here, things were the same but also so different. Jude had a decorated nursery and more clothes than he’d ever be able to wear and toys that he was still months away from being interested in. Bottles and other baby items filled one of the kitchen cabinets and Nino had to step around a large swing on his way out of the living room. Jude had been in their life three days and everything was already so different.

The grunts turned into angry fussing that sounded more cute than mad. Nino watched his son’s little face turn red as he worked himself up and couldn’t believe how much he loved him. He knew he would love him, but this was...this was like nothing he’d ever felt before. A whole new experience of love.

He was glad to see one of the bassinets was still in the corner of the kitchen. Uncle Adrien and Aunt Marinette had gone overboard with gifts and as a result, they had a place to safely put Jude in every room of the house. It was nice but excessive in Nino’s opinion, but at the late hour, he had to admit having the extra bassinet in the kitchen was a blessing. 

He scooped up a discarded pacifier from the padding as he laid Jude down and held it against his mouth for a few seconds until he calmed down enough to want it. Jude sucked on it with another soft grunt as if letting his father know he was placated for the moment but it wouldn’t last.

Nino hummed as he pulled down an empty bottle and checked the fridge. “Uh oh, looks like we used the last of Mommy’s milk for our bottle earlier.” He frowned in the direction of the living room. “She’s really tired though so we’re going to let her sleep. How do you feel about formula this round, little dude?”

Jude stared at the ceiling and sucked on his pacifier. 

“Yeah, I think it feels like a good formula night. I like you; you’re a chill guy,” he cooed in his son’s direction. “Mommy’s being too hard on herself with breastfeeding, but we’re going to get you big and strong either way, aren’t we? She just loves you so much and wants to do the very best. We’re very lucky to have her, just so you know.”

Nino scooped out the formula carefully and added the water. “So what are your thoughts on the world, Juju? I know you’ve only seen a few rooms of the house and the hospital so far but how are we feeling about things?” He dropped the bottle into the warmer and set the timer.

“I know it can be pretty bright and loud and that’s scary sometimes, but don’t you worry. Daddy’s going to be right here to take care of you.” He peered down into the bassinet. “You’re my little dude. I love you.”

The timer dinged and Nino reluctantly pulled himself away to grab the bottle. He did a quick temperature test and then gingerly picked up Jude and the bottle and went back to the living room. He spied the remote on the armchair so he settled into it and got Jude drinking before he turned on the TV and muted the volume. It was more habit than anything, his eyes rarely leaving the tiny treasure in his arms for whatever was happening on screen.

Jude’s eyes grew heavy as the bottle grew emptier and Nino felt sleep weighing heavily on him too. The infant fussed when he was forced to burp but fell back asleep as soon as Nino cradled him again. 

“Maybe I’ll just...rest my...eyes...” Nino murmured, the soft glow of the television blurring his vision. 

He woke with a start as Alya lifted Jude from his arms. “What...”

She kissed his forehead. “Go get in bed. I’ll take the next shift. He needs a change anyway.”

Late morning light was flowing in from the windows as Nino shuffled to their bedroom without putting up much of a fight. He and Jude has slept a few hours in the chair then. That was good. He would take a short nap and let Alya have another break. 

He forced himself to go past his bed to use the bathroom first so he didn’t have to get up and then sighed contently as he finally slid beneath the covers. He was exhausted and needed a shower and his stomach was growling but as Nino heard Alya singing softly to their son just down the hall, he knew he’d never been so happy before.


	8. Marinette and Luka

“You didn’t bring your guitar, man?” Kim asked and made a show of strumming an air guitar. “I thought we’d get a concert. You always have that thing.”

Luka shifted anxiously and glanced around, face going a little pale. “Uh, no. Is that okay?”

“Markov can play music if that’s what you’d like, Kim,” Max offered.

“Yeah, man! Let’s get this party started!”

“Hey, you made it.” Marinette rounded the group of picnic blankets and smiled up at Luka. “Wanna come sit with us?” She gestured to the other side of the group.

“It looks kind of crowded. I might just stay over here.”

She glanced back towards Alya and the other girl waved her on encouragingly. “I’ll sit over here with you if you want,” she said as she went down to the edge of the blanket and patted the open space beside her. She frowned at his obvious discomfort as he looked over the picnic and its participants. “Or, um, you can sit somewhere else if you want to.”

“No, I want to sit with you. Sorry.” He folded down to the blanket and fidgeted with his bracelets without looking up. “Sorry,” he repeated.

“Are you okay?” Marinette asked, voice soft. Their friends talked and ate around them as food was passed back and forth along the various blankets. She turned her back slightly so they’d have a bit of privacy.

“I’m trying something new and it’s proving to be harder than I thought it would be.” Luka met her eyes and offered a sheepish smile. “I started going to therapy for some stuff. Me and Jules both, actually.”

“Oh, that’s...that’s good, right?” Marinette offered her own encouraging smile and was glad to see his expression brighten.

“Yeah, it is. I mean, I think it’s going to be, but the therapist has been giving me exercises to try, and this week she wanted me to go to a social outing without my guitar.” He strummed along his bracelets as if he could produce a melody. “She thinks I use it as a crutch and I need to work on...” He pursed his lips as if trying to remember the words. “I need to work on having social interactions without it. I don’t think I’m very good at that. It’s making me anxious. I almost didn’t come, but I didn’t want you to think I didn’t want to see you.”

“I’m glad you came, but I’m sorry you’re feeling anxious. Is there anything I can do to help?”

His brow furrowed. “No. I mean, I don’t think so. I just forget my words sometimes. Or not so much forget them, but I can’t find the right words maybe? Music just makes it easier. I can hear the stuff I’m supposed to in music so that’s how I try to talk too, but I know most people don’t get it.” His cheeks darkened as his gaze landed on Adrien and Nino laughing together. “Some people make it look so easy and I wish I was like that.”

Marinette followed his focus and took her own moment to watch them. “Everyone’s different. There isn’t anything wrong with that.”

“You make things feel easier. I like being around you.” His fingers strummed along the bracelets again and Marinette watched the gesture. She felt her cheeks warm at the compliment.

“You make things feel easy too,” she said quietly. She felt embarrassed but forced herself to continue her confession. “I like when we get to hang out together. I like your guitar, and I like your music and the stories you tell me with it.”

His hand fell away from the bracelets and he gave her a fond look. “That makes me feel a lot better. Thank you, Marinette.”

She blushed more as their eyes met. “You’re welcome, Luka.”

He laughed awkwardly and strummed his bracelets once more before dropping his hand again. “This is still going to be a little difficult to get through, but it’s nice knowing you don’t mind my guitar. I know it’s something I need to work on, but it feels like such a big part of me. I don’t know if I could ever fully give it up.”

“We’ve all got our stuff. You know I’ve got my fair share. You’ve been there for me. I’d be happy to be here for you.”

Luka offered his hand to her. “Partners then? Helping each other figure out our stuff?”

Marinette reached for his open palm but then pushed her fingers further to strum along the cords of the bracelets adorning his wrists. Luka’s face flamed red and Marinette knew hers matched. “Partners,” she agreed with a shy nod.


	9. Marinette and Adrien

“How do people use this stuff?” Adrien hissed as hot glue adhered to his skin and he dropped the hair barrette he’d been attempting to cover with fabric flowers. “Maybe I should transform so I don’t keep burning myself.”

“Your claws might prick the fabric.” Marinette tried not to smile as she moved the hot glue gun to the side and took his hand in hers. “Are you okay?”

He stuck out his bottom lip. “I think I might be really hurt. We might have to remove the finger and everything. It’s that severe.”

“Awww.” She carefully pulled away the warm glue and pressed a soft kiss to the pad of his reddened index finger and winked at him. “Feeling better?”

“I might need more than that to be really better.”

“Somehow I think you’re going to make it.” She kissed his finger once more and then sat back and picked up the flower she was sewing before his accident. “You just have to be a little more careful. Use that silicone thimble thing.”

“It doesn’t fit right,” he sighed dramatically. “This might just be too hard for me.”

“I will say that you do make it look a lot harder than it should be,” Marinette teased. “That takes a certain kind of talent. I can finish these up on my own anyway. I appreciate you trying to help though.”

“I guess I’ll just have to sit here and watch my beautiful girlfriend work. What a pity.” Adrien beamed at her before scooting his chair even closer so he could hook his chin over her shoulder. “How’d you learn how to make these?”

“Me and my mom used to make them all the time when I was younger. I just use better fabric now for the ones I sell online.” She finished the flower and set it aside. “Do you want to learn?”

“I don’t know. You saw how good I was with the glue gun.”

Marinette laughed. “I have faith in you, Kitty.” She patted his knee to signal that she needed to move her chair and they both scooted away from the desk. “This is really easy, I promise.” She grabbed a couple of fabric squares and a worn cardboard flower cutout. “Okay, you do the cutting and I’ll do the sewing.”

“Teamwork,” he nodded with a wide grin. “We’re good at that, my Lady.”

“That we are, Chaton. Just use the stencil to cut out as many flowers as you can in the fabric.”

Adrien sang softly as they worked and Marinette carefully sewed each layer of fabric as he handed them to her. She glanced to the side to see him concentrating hard on cutting along the cardboard, even his melodious words trailing away into just a hum. She smiled to herself and went to work on forming a flower from the fabric she pieced together. She checked to find the glue gun still hot and she used it to add black rhinestones to the red petals while sprinkling in green ones on the black. 

“I think this is the last one I can get out of the square,” Adrien finally announced, looking up from his work. He caught Marinette attaching thin metal wiring to the finished flower. “Hey, those are our colors.”

“I know.” She turned in her chair so she could face him. She reached up to brush his hair back but Adrien pressed his cheek into her palm with a happy hum. She giggled and continued her mission, tucking the blonde strands behind his ear as best she could. She then bent the metal wire and hooked it behind his ear so the black and red flower looked as if it was sprouting from his hairline.

“Do I look pretty?” Adrien beamed at her.

“Always,” she smiled.


	10. Bunnyx, Nathalie, and Gabriel

“From the way Adrien talked about you, I expected someone...nicer.” Bunnyx shook her head. “That’s on me though. I knew you couldn’t possibly be nice. I’ve seen too much.” Her face screwed up in disgust. “But I’m going out on a limb and trusting his judgement on this because I actually owe him this time around and he won’t let me forget it.”

“You realize I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Nathalie tightened the belt of her robe in an irritated gesture. “If you’re an akuma--”

“You know I’m not.” Bunnyx rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to act around me. Believe me when I say I’ve seen you at your worst, just like I’ve seen with everyone else.”

The other woman noticed the tightening around the hero’s eyes, the slump of her shoulders. She would use that if she needed to. She took the moment to study the large room she’d been brought into after being whisked through a portal right in the middle of the Agreste hallway. She wondered if Gabriel would realize she was gone before morning. 

She slipped into his room night after night and the few times that she didn’t come on her own, her bedroom door would open and there would be a weight on the other side of her bed. He would never cuddle up to her and even slept with his back to her most nights, but if she didn’t come to him, he came to her. He would realize she was gone.

She wrapped that thought around her like a blanket and realized the other woman was watching her. “Well, you brought me here. I assume you have a reason.”

Bunnyx gave her an indiscernible look before gesturing to the left. “Yeah, I’ve got you set up over here. Just watch.”

A grouping of blurred viewing windows became clearer simultaneously and Nathalie stared up at the wall of Gabriel with a soft gasp. There was Gabriel as she knew him, tall and stoic, awkwardly hugging his son. There was another side of Gabriel she knew in the next one, Hawk Moth using the dark power between his hands to create his next akuma as Chat Noir cowered before him. There was Gabriel as a young man and Gabriel as an anxious groom waiting for Emilie to come down the aisle and even Gabriel as the holder of the Peacock Miraculous, fighting on the side of good and aiding Chat Noir and Ladybug with a sentiprotector.

A Gabriel with his Hawk Moth transformation falling around him as he held her broken body, the last magic of Mayura slipping away with what was left of her life. A Gabriel genuinely smiling as he held her close and they enjoyed a beautiful sunset. A Gabriel clapping proudly as Adrien finished his final fencing match at the top of his group.

Nathalie felt too many things at once and locked them down the best she could. She felt her face smooth out into a comfortable mask of indifference. “If you have a point, now would be the time to make it.”

“Really? You’re going to make me spell it out for you? And here I thought you were smart. I swear if I didn’t owe him, this would be going really differently right now.” Bunnyx shook her head. “Look, you can change things. You’re it. You’re the fulcrum.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Nathalie hugged herself as she watched Hawk Moth turn to ash from a deadly blow of Cataclysm in one of the windows. 

The hero sighed. “As hard as it is to admit it, no one is beyond redemption. Not when they still have life left. It’s a hard lesson I’ve come to learn while holding this gig.”

“You’re saying I need to help Gabriel change his dastardly ways.” Nathalie knew her tone was too dry. “I have nothing to do with him being Hawk Moth.”

“Maybe that’s not why he started, but without you, I don’t think he’d have it in him to keep going.” Bunnyx shrugged. “It’s a theory, but one I’ve seen play out a few times now that makes me believe there’s some weight behind it.”

“I see.” Her eyes strayed to the windows showing a happier Gabriel, a man who was a stranger to her. “And why should I believe any of this magic show, White Rabbit?”

“The name’s Bunnyx,” she scoffed. “And it’s not magic. Well, maybe it is, I don’t know. Max would say it’s all science. The point is that all of these futures have the potential to happen and I’ve watched enough to know that you can prevent a lot of them.”

And there it was, that small flicker of hope Nathalie felt sometimes. The way out. The way to a better life for both of them, for all of them. It couldn’t be that easy though. She refused to believe that she was the reason he kept going. It would be too...too...  
“What I’m saying is that I don’t think the Agreste apple falls far from the tree and believe me, I’ve seen more than enough of knowing what Adrien will do for the love of his life. Gabriel isn’t any different.”

“Perhaps you’re forgetting that he’s not doing any of this for me; he’s doing it for Emilie.”

“Things don’t always end the way they started.” Bunnyx brandished her umbrella and a new portal appeared. “Anyway, I fulfilled my end of the bargain. You’ve seen what could happen if you get him to change and what does happen if you don’t. That’s all I can do.”

“You haven’t done anything.” Nathalie could see the familiar hallway through the portal. “You haven’t told me anything I didn’t know.”

The hero looked sad. “Yeah, I know.”

Nathalie went through the portal without another word and there was a staticky sound behind her as it closed. She took in a deep breath and a shiver ran down her spine.

“Wow,” Duusu whispered. “That was a lot, huh?”

With a blink of surprise, the woman reached up to feel the kwami nestled in her hair. She’d completely forgotten her presence in the middle of everything that just happened. Although it was very unlike Duusu to have stayed so quiet. “What did you think of it all?”

“Oh! I think she’s right!” Duusu flew in front of her holder and clasped her tiny paws together. “It’s so romantic, isn’t it? You saving him from a bad life.”

“That’s not what this is.”

“You keeping him from making bad choices and showing him there’s still good in the world.”

“I’m not sure there is. Besides, I’m not his keeper. He’s a grown man with his own agenda. I don’t want that on me.” Nathalie tightened her robe and looked down the hall towards Gabriel’s room. She needed distance and time to think. She turned and began down the path back to her own room.

“But he needs you!” the kwami whined. “You can make him good.”

“I don’t want to be responsible for that! I can’t even make good choices for myself.” She slipped into her room and locked the door behind her. 

Duusu flew through the wood, unfazed. “Maybe you can help each other then!”

Nathalie curled up on top of her bed, not bothering with the blankets. She felt confused and angry and lonely and sad. She hated Bunnyx for showing her futures she didn’t think she could have and she wished she hadn’t seen the futures that were all too possible. “I can’t change anything,” she whispered miserably. “I don’t know how.”

She wasn’t sure how long she lay in the dim light of her room like that before she heard a rustling outside her bedroom door. The doorknob turned slowly until it caught on the lock. She watched it happen once more before she spoke. “Gabriel?”

There was a distinct silence from the other side of the door of someone trying to stay quiet and still. Nathalie held her breath. She wasn’t going to do this by herself. She wasn’t going to always be the one reaching. Even with the small flicker of hope burning in her chest, she couldn’t bring herself to get up without a sign from him.

She’d almost given up when the doorknob let out a small sigh of release and she heard Gabriel’s voice on the other side of the door, low and quiet. “May I come in, please? Nathalie?”

Her heart jumped in her throat as she rose from the bed and crossed the room. She opened the door and looked at him, not sure how to feel. His eyes were filled with guarded concern. “Is everything okay?”

“I can’t keep doing this.”

Gabriel blinked and took a step back. “Right.” He cleared his throat and tightened his own robe. “Of course.” He turned to go and Nathalie reached out, grabbing his arm. He looked down at her hand in surprise.

“No, I mean...” She trailed off with an exhausted sigh. “We can talk about it in the morning. Come in.”

They were quiet as they moved into the room and took their usual places on each side of the bed. Nathalie had a moment of indecision before she curled up close to Gabriel’s back. She felt him stiffen under her touch and then he was rolling over to hold her. Neither of them spoke in the quiet of the room, though there were plenty of words that needed to be said.

Duusu’s words rang in Nathalie’s head. Maybe they could help each other. Maybe they could both change. Maybe they could have a new life, together.

Maybe there was hope.

She closed her eyes and listened to Gabriel’s heart racing in his chest. 

Maybe they could still find redemption together.


	11. Marinette and Nino

“Am I the only one feeling awkward?” Marinette placed her fork beside her plate and gave her date a helpless look. “It’s not just me, right?”

Nino wiped his mouth self-consciously with his napkin. “Why would it be awkward? Because our exes are now dating and have decided to make it their mission to pair us off?” He waved a hand. “Not awkward at all. Not even a little. I definitely haven’t sweat through this shirt.”

She laughed and it made her feel better. “At least I’m not alone in this then. It’s not like I don’t enjoy spending time with you...”

“Oh, yeah, it’s not like that for me either, but it’s just...”

“It’s weird.”

“Yeah...”

“I mean, I saw you as my best friend’s guy for years,” Marinette pointed out. “We hung out a lot, but you and I never really hung out, not just us anyway.”

“And obviously it was the same for me,” he nodded. “And I get Alya and Adrien wanting the four of us to be cool again, but it’s, uh, I don’t know.”

“So very awkward,” she supplied. “I love Adrien but we didn’t work out romantically, and I’m so happy for him and Alya. They’re my best friends, but...”

“Oh yeah, totally! They’re great together and Al and I just wanted different things. And it’s been almost two years for us, ya know? There’s no hard feelings.”

“So on paper...”

“Yeah.” Nino chuckled softly. “I still say we get points for at least trying tonight. They’ve badgered us enough. I will say I think I got the good end of the deal. You’re the prettiest woman in here.”

Marinette blushed and ducked her head shyly. “Don’t act like you don’t know you clean up well, Nino Lahiffe.”

It was his turn to blush. “Thanks.”

“That was pretty smooth. I don’t think I knew you were smooth.” She lifted an eyebrow. 

“I hope you enjoyed it because that was my ace card,” he laughed. “I’m not actually all that smooth; you really just are the prettiest woman here. Facts are facts.”

“Mmmm.”

They each picked at their food for a few moments. “So, since we’ve already opened up the awkwardness,” Nino said carefully, “can I ask your opinion on something?”

Marinette swallowed a bite of grilled chicken and nodded. “Sure.”

“Do you think they’re going to get married?”

“Alya and Adrien?”

“Yeah. I guess I’ve just got this feeling about it, and I wonder what you think.”

She bit her lip. “I don’t know. Maybe? They seem...I think they’re really happy. I don’t guess it would surprise me if they did.”

“Yeah, that’s what I think too.” Nino took a long drink of his wine. 

“Can I ask you a question now?”

“Of course.”

“Does it make your heart hurt too even though you want them to be happy?” Marinette dared a quick look at him before dropping her eyes. “It’s not...it doesn’t feel like jealousy really, but it’s almost...”

“Yeah,” he agreed, voice soft. “I know exactly what you mean.”

“I don’t love Adrien that way, not anymore. And I cherish the kind of relationship we have now. It feels...it finally feels right, if that makes sense. And Alya is one of the most important people in the world to me.” She picked up her fork and used it to push peas around her plate. “But I guess there’s the part of me that feels like I’m missing out on something that I should’ve had even though I’m not in love with him.”

“I’m still in love with Alya,” Nino admitted. “But it’s different than it was when we were together. I think I’m always going to be in love with her, at least a little. She was my first everything, ya know?”

Marinette nodded. “I definitely know. That’s a really good way to put it.”

“But I’m like you. I want them to have a great life together. I hope this is it for them; I hope they found each other and it’s forever.”

“But it still sucks for us.”

“Yeah, I guess it does.”

She laughed in relief. “It’s refreshing to be able to talk like this. I don’t think I’ve ever been this honest about it before.”

Nino shot her a lopsided smile. “Well, if anyone understands the exact situation you’re in, it’s me.”

“That’s very true.”

“How are you feeling about dessert?”

Marinette grimaced. “I might burst if I try.”

“Are you up for going somewhere else and maybe doing something sweet later?” Nino fussed with his napkin, folding it more than necessary before setting it beside his plate. 

“Are you asking if I want to prolong the awkwardness?” Marinette teased.

He blinked across the table at her, his cheeks darkening. “Oh, uh, I just thought...if you’d rather go...”

“I was teasing.” She reached across the table to touch his arm. “I’m down to do something else. I’m having fun with you. What’d you have in mind?” She swallowed hard when she saw the fond look he gave her hand on his arm and she had to keep herself from snatching her hand back out of embarrassment. 

“You’re blushing.”

“So are you,” she pouted. 

Nino ducked his head. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

She reluctantly pulled her arm back. “We can’t tell them about the blushing.”

“Absolutely not,” he agreed. “You wanna go see what’s playing at the cinema?”

Her lips spread into a lovely smile. “That sounds perfect.”


	12. Ladybug/Marinette, Bunnyx, and Chat Blanc

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are spoilers for the episode Chat Blanc though it diverges from canon.

“You don’t look very happy to see me, Minibug.” Bunnyx stepped out of her portal but left it open behind her. 

Ladybug sighed and dropped her yoyo back to her side, realizing she wasn’t going home like she’d planned. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Chat Noir was still making his way across rooftops on his way home in the opposite direction. “It’s never good when you wait to come see me after Chat Noir is gone. Please don’t tell me you found another one.”

“Afraid so. Come on.” The older hero returned through the portal and Ladybug reluctantly followed her.

“We have to be getting up into the thirties now. How does this keep happening to him? I’ve tried to be so careful. I haven’t done anything that could give away my identity to anyone.”

“You’re not the only factor. I’ve told you that before,” Bunnyx replied, searching for the right viewing window. “And this one is different from the others. I don’t think you’re going to be able to change things back.”

Ladybug stepped closer as her eyes flicked carefully between windows. Bunnyx had given up trying to shield her for the most part and it’d become a blessing and a curse. “Why do you say that?”

“There’s nothing left.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean exactly that.” Bunnyx pointed to a dark screen. “There’s nothing left. The world, the universe, it’s all gone. I don’t think even the Cure can do anything about that. You said Tikki warned you that these Chat Blanc restorations were taking a toll, didn’t you?”

“She said her magic wasn’t meant to be used for something so massive so often.” Ladybug peered into the darkness. “I don’t understand. If Chat Blanc destroyed literally everything in this timeline...”

“He still can’t destroy himself,” she answered softly. “See that small spot there?” She tapped a blurry speck in all the darkness. 

“That’s him?” Her voice came out in a breathless whisper. “How...”

“He’s just floating, I think. There’s nothing for him to hold on to. He’s just out there for eternity.”

Ladybug felt her eyes sting. “And I can’t help him?”

Bunnyx sucked in a loud breath. “Well, I can bring him out. I can go grab him, but...”

“But then where does he go,” Ladybug finished. “Because I still have my Chat Noir.”

“Right.”

“Would it...I mean, does the universe implode if they are both in the same timeline?”

She frowned, brow furrowing her mask. “I don’t think so. This Chat is an extension of your Chat, just like I’m a version of the Alix you know. It’s a little timey wimey, but I don’t think it would make too much of a problem.”

“Except for Chat suddenly having a twin.”

“There is that.” They both looked back at the screen, straining to see the small white fleck in all the darkness. “I can...I can just leave him,” Bunnyx offered. “This timeline is over. There’s nothing left that can happen.” 

“But he’s in there and he’s alive. I can’t leave him like that.”

“He might be too far gone. We haven’t come against one that’s destroyed this much.”

“I have to try.”

“The last one tried to kill you as soon as he saw you. He was pretty bad off. This Chat Blanc might be worse.”

Ladybug worried her bottom lip. “Then maybe he shouldn’t see me, or not me like this.”

“It’d be too dangerous for you to try to handle him as Marinette.”

“I don’t know how long he’s going to be here. I can’t stay transformed all the time,” she reasoned. “Chat Noir visits me on my balcony sometimes when he gets lonely. Maybe this Chat will remember it.”

Bunnyx eyed her warily. “Are you sure this is something you want to try?”

“It’s something I have to try.” She looked back at the screen. “I have to save him.”  
___

Marinette paced the balcony anxiously. She had a couple of bottles of water and some snacks already set out on the lounger, along with a blanket and, just in case, some pepper spray. She jumped when she heard the telltale staticky spark of a portal opening and she stepped back as it widened.

“I don’t know if this is going to work,” Bunnyx warned as she dragged a limp body through the portal. Chat Blanc’s head lolled to the side and she unceremoniously let him drop to the floor. “I had to knock him out. He lost it when he saw me. He started growling and scratched me pretty good.” She turned her arm to the light to show deep red lines in the torn tatters of her suit.

“I’ll try to talk to him.”

“I don’t know if there’s anyone home to talk to. He’s feral.”

Marinette set her jaw in determination. “I have to try, okay? Maybe he’ll be different with me.”

“Because you love him.”

She blushed and turned her face away. “Because we have a special bond.”

“Sure.” Bunnyx stared down at Chat Blanc. “I’ve looked ahead on this, you know.”

“And?”

“And there’s a few ways it can go, most of them not great, the others tragic,” she admitted. “So I have to ask again, are you sure?”

“Yes.”

She sighed heavily. “Okay then. I’ll check in when I can. And please be careful, Minibug. The world needs you too.”

Marinette nodded and watched the portal close with Bunnyx in it. She took a steadying breath and knelt down beside the crumpled figure on her balcony. His hair was longer than most of the others she’d come up against. It was ragged and there were tears along his suit. She frowned at the darkened skin she saw through the torn fabric. As an akuma, he shouldn’t have changed like this. His body should’ve been safe with the magic; it was his mind that would’ve suffered. How long had he been like this to show this much damage? 

Long enough to give up and try to destroy everything, including himself.

She brushed his hair from his face with care and he flinched at her touch. His eyes stayed closed but there was a tightening around them. “It’s me, Chat,” she said in a soft voice. “It’s just me, Marinette.”

His lips moved but no sound came out, and he curled in on himself. 

“Are you hungry or thirsty? I’ve brought some food up for you.”

His eyes opened slowly and Marinette realized she would never be use to seeing them like this. She’d come against dozens of Chat Blancs now but the eyes always hurt her. It wasn’t even the difference in color. They just weren’t his. They were missing that special spark that made Chat Noir who he was.

“Can you hear me, Chat? Do you understand?”

His eyes flicked to hers and then down to her lips. He frowned and kept watching her mouth.

Marinette tried again. “Chat? I’m Marinette.”

He met her gaze once more and there was a light of recognition in them.

“You know me.”

He blinked once, slowly.

“You’re safe now, okay? I’m going to make sure you’re safe.” She reached out to touch his shoulder but dropped her hand when he flinched away before she could touch him. She stood then and crossed the small space. “I’m going to give you some room,” she announced. She sat down on the lounger and placed a bottle of water and a bag of chips at the edge of it and then put her hands in her lap.

Chat Blanc watched her as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. He cocked his head to the side, ears back, unsure. 

“A friend helped me find you,” she explained, trying to keep her attention away from the man creeping closer to the lounger as not to scare him back. “I want to help you.”

“Help...me...” His voice was strangled and raspy as if he hadn’t used it in much too long.

Marinette gave up trying not to watch him and felt herself fighting against the lump in her throat. “I’m going to help you, Chaton. I promise.”

He frowned, jaw clenching. “Mari...nette...”

“Maybe if you drink some water, it will be easier to talk.” She offered the bottle and he eyed it for a few long seconds before roughly taking it from her. He drank sloppily, water running down his chin onto the dirty white of his suit, rivulets of the liquid making sooty runs. 

Ash, she realized. His suit was covered in ash from the world he destroyed. 

He finished the bottle and let it drop and roll across the wooden planks.

“More?” She held out another and he grabbed it from her and wrenched off the cap. “Try to slow down a little. You’re losing more than you’re getting.”

There was a low growl but he noticeably slowed down, his throat working loudly as he swallowed. 

She shivered and realized it had little to do with the cool weather. She was scared of him. Even if she couldn’t admit it aloud, she could at least confess it to herself. This wasn’t her Chat. This wasn’t the partner she knew and loved. This Chat was a stranger and he scared her.

And yet, she still wanted to save him.

Because deep down, she knew he was her Chat all the same.  
____

Marinette was exhausted. She’d coaxed Chat Blanc into her room but couldn’t get him down further than her bed. She’d given him more water and snacks but he stayed put, blue eyes glowing down at her in the dim light. She’d finally given up trying anything else and grabbed an extra blanket from her trunk to sleep on the chaise. She knew he was watching her as she tried to force sleep on herself, but she attempted to ignore him. Her mind was just too tired to try anymore tonight.

Her dreams were an uneasy mix of Chat Noir and Chat Blanc morphing into each other and then back again until she was startled awake by something knocking against the hand she had hanging off the side of the chaise. She blinked into the darkness and had to stifle a scream when glowing blue eyes much too close blinked back at her. 

“Chat?” she whispered harshly, her heart hammering in her throat.

The blue eyes closed again and then she felt him bump his head against her hand. Without too much thought, she let her fingers slide into his hair and he pressed up against her palm with a small sound. She stayed stiff for a moment before letting her arm rest and Chat’s head lowered with it. Sleep pulled at her again and she let it take her but she made sure to keep her hand in Chat Blanc’s hair so he knew she was right there with her. 

The final sound she heard before she was gone again was a stuttering deep purr that made her feel warm as she drifted away.


	13. Nathaniel and Luka

“Feeling inspired yet?” Luka settled down on the padded bench beside his boyfriend and looked out over the open sea around them. The boat bobbed easily on the calm water. 

“Inspired and terrified,” Nathaniel admitted. He brushed his fingers along the spiral binding at the top of his sketchbook. “I’ve never been out on the water like this. There’s no land around. It’s kinda scary.”

“And kind of amazing?”

“Yeah, that too.”

“My mom used to take me and Jules out like this all the time. We’d spend summers in the middle of the water with nothing around. It was peaceful. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until we got out here.”

“I don’t know if I could spend more than a few days like this,” Nathaniel said, “but it is really nice.”

“Guess I have to cancel my plans to kidnap you and keep you out here with me forever,” Luka sighed. “I thought we would make great pirates.”

“I’ll give it some consideration,” he laughed. “Man, we grew up so differently. I can’t imagine my parents ever taking me anywhere for an extended period of time, especially not just to the middle of some body of water.”

“I didn’t realize it wasn’t exactly conventional for a long time.” Luka picked at his bracelets. “Mom homeschooled us for a while but she wanted us to be around other people our age, so we came back to the city. It was a rough transition.”

“I’m glad you didn’t live out on the water forever, if it helps.” Nathaniel smiled at his boyfriend, a blush painting his cheeks. “I don’t know that we would’ve met.”

“You saying you wouldn’t have gotten on a little rowboat to come out to meet me?” he teased, putting his arm around the other man.

Nathaniel put his pencil to his lips. “Actually, that gives me an idea.”

“Feeling inspired?”

“Always around you.” He offered a quick, shy smile before he began sketching again. Luka smiled back and stretched his legs out with a content sigh as he watched the ocean meet the sky.


	14. Marinette and Chat Noir

The first time it happened, it was scary. No one wants to wake up with a total stranger in a bed and in a room they don’t recognize. All of that is only compounded when the person who also suddenly appears in the bed is dressed as some kind of leather-loving cat guy. Marinette panicked and punched her bedmate in the nose as soon as he woke up.

That had been close to three years ago.

Now when Marinette rolled over with a yawn and realized she’d fallen into the dreamscape bedroom she sometimes dreamed of, she looked for Chat Noir and he always eventually joined her if he wasn’t already there. She’d never fallen asleep alone in her own bed and stayed alone the full night in her dream bed. He always came.

“Long time, no see, Princess,” Chat Noir said with a sleepy smile as soon as his eyes opened. 

“I know. It’s been months.” Marinette hugged one of the fluffy pillows to her chest. She leaned her head and shoulder against the fabric headboard. “I was beginning to think we couldn’t meet like this anymore.”

He yawned and sat up against the headboard so he was on her level. “Sorry. I think that might’ve been my fault.” He looked down at the black ring on his finger and closed his fist. “Something was wrong with my ring and I think it kept me from coming here. It’s fixed now though.” He met her eyes and there was nothing but fond adoration in them. “I really, really missed you.”

“I really, really missed you too.” She knew she was blushing and buried her face in her pillow with a giggle. They’d danced around each other like this for years, flirty and sweet and pining. But none of it was real. He wasn’t even real. Of course her mind made up an excuse as to why she hadn’t had one of these dreams in a while. She’d fallen for a man she’d dreamed up. She had to protect herself somehow.

“So tell me what you’ve been up to, my Mari.” Chat Noir tapped the pad of his finger against the tip of her nose, careful of the claw. “I’ve been going crazy thinking about you.”

“I’m sure you had plenty to keep you busy, Kitty.” She laughed and sat up. “I moved into an apartment with my best friend so that’s new. I was actually kind of afraid that’s why I wasn’t coming here anymore, which seems silly now. I even went back to spend the night at home one night just to see, but...” She trailed off, feeling her blush come back.

“Wait, you never dreamed about this room since the last time we were here?” He frowned. “Not even once?”

“No...”

“Oh. I guess I thought maybe it was just me who couldn’t get to it.” He looked down at his ring once more. 

“Ah, sure.”

He sighed. “Is this where you’re going to try to convince me I’m not real again?”

Marinette shook her head. “It never does any good.”

“Because I am real!”

She laughed and he joined her with his own chuckle. “Fine, fine, Chaton. Tell me what you’ve been up to the past few months then.”

“You mean besides missing you?”

She scrunched her nose in pleased embarrassment. “Yes, besides that.”

“Well, I, uh...I had a pretty big life change, I guess. I was doing some not so good things because I thought I was helping my family but I realized I needed to do what felt morally right and it’s caused a lot of issues.”

“Like the thing with your ring?”

His black ears drooped. “Yeah, and that’s just one thing. Actually, I’ve moved now too. Maybe we’re even closer to each other in real life.” He winked, trying to lighten the mood again. 

“Well, since we can’t seem to find a way to retain any of that kind of information when we leave here, I guess we’ll never know,” she teased. “I’m sorry you’re having a rough time though.”

“I think it’s going to be for the better in the end.” He relaxed against the headboard and met her eyes. “I can’t tell you how much this is helping though. I really have thought about you constantly. I was terrified I wasn’t going to see you ever again.”

She reached for him, cupping his cheek with her hand. He pressed against her palm and let his eyes close, a deep purr beginning in his chest. “I wish you were real,” she whispered, voice barely audible.

She’d fallen for Chat Noir and there was no one else she wanted. She politely turned down date requests and offers from her friends to set her up. She blamed work for being too busy and went to bed each night hoping she would see this weird, funny, sweet guy in a cat suit that she’d somehow dreamed up and been dumb enough to fall in love with.

He turned his face against her hand so he could press a kiss to her palm. “I am real,” he promised. “My name is Adrien Agreste. I’m real.”

She’d heard it before, of course. He told her his name and while they were in this room, she would recite it like a mantra in her head. 

Adrien Agreste.

Adrien Agreste.

Adrien Agreste.

And as soon as she woke up in her own bed, it was gone. She couldn’t even remember the name Chat Noir when she woke up; she just knew she missed him and love him and wanted to see him again. 

Sometimes she hated this dreamscape.

“I want to find you. I look for you everywhere,” he continued, pulling her closer to him. 

Marinette melted into his arms and listened to his heart beat against her ear. They’d had nights like this before but tonight felt more serious, more urgent. The three month gap in seeing each other had scared them both. 

“I will find you,” he promised, kissing the top of her head. “I’m never going to stop looking.”

His voice was beginning to sound faraway and Marinette knew she was falling back asleep. She would wake up in her own bed soon. She didn’t want to leave him yet. It’d been too fast and it’d been so long since they’d seen each other. She dug her fingers into the material of his suit to try to hold on but knew it was futile.

“I love you.” She saw the happy surprise in his eyes just before hers closed and then there was darkness.  
___

Marinette blinked up at her ceiling with a heavy sigh. She closed her eyes again and tried to remember his name. It was right there at the edge of her mind, taunting her. She finally gave up with a huff and sat up. She reached for her phone on her nightstand when something new caught her eye.

A small black box sat beside her phone with a folded slip of paper on top of it. She frowned and picked up the paper gingerly.

“He’s going to need help and he needs you.”

She turned the note over but there was nothing on the other side. “Well, that’s ominous...”

She brought the box closer and opened it carefully. A pair of spotted red earrings sat against black velvet. She touched one of them and it felt warm and familiar somehow.

Marinette looked back to the note, hope springing in her chest. This felt right. This felt like him.

With a deep breath, she took the earrings out of the box and slipped them into place.


	15. Marinette and Adrien

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is what I can only think to call a Postal AU. Marinette runs an online craft store and visits her local post office weekly to drop off orders and Adrien is the helpful postal employee who tries to make sure he’s the one who gets to interact with her every time for, you know, reasons

Adrien kept an eye on the door as he moved people through the queue. Christmas was a particularly busy time for the post office and this year was proving to be no different. That didn’t bother him though. Christmas was also a busy time for a certain customer he enjoyed seeing and that meant she’d be visiting the office multiple times a week through the holidays. Seeing her had become the highlight of his job.

He’d started at the post office when he moved out on his own and wanted to do something as different as he could from what he’d grown up around. It was supposed to be temporary but his manager liked his personality and was able to make room for him on the staff. And that was what led to him working through his first major Christmas rush and how he met her.

She’d been flustered and babbling to herself as she lugged a massive tote bag brimming with boxes and padded envelopes up to the counter when he called for the next customer. 

“Oh goodness, I have so many of these. I’m sorry,” she apologized as she stacked packages in front of him so he could scan them in. “I thought it would be a good idea to get a bunch done at one time but then I started boxing them up and trying to fit them in this bag and there’s just so many. Did I just become your worst customer today?” Her brow knitted together in concern even as she smiled at him. 

Adrien swore her first smile directed at him was like the clouds parting so the sun could shine through. “Don’t worry about it. It’s why I’m here.” He’d smiled back at her and was glad to see the small gesture made her relax a little. “Lots of Christmas presents to send out?”

“Don’t remind me,” she groaned. “I haven’t even started on those yet. These are orders from my store.” She straightened a little. “I make little hand-sewn custom dolls. I do all kinds of characters and take orders for outfits. This is my super busy time of year but it’s a lot of fun.”

“Those sound awesome.” 

“I have a card in here somewhere.” She pulled her purse around to her front and dug through it as Adrien finished scanning. “Oh, here it is!” She handed the pink business card to him. “You know, in case you want to check it out.”

“Thanks.” He looked over the card, ignoring her receipt where it sat ready on the machine. “Are you Marinette?” He glanced up at her and saw her blush.

“That’s me.” She smiled, ducking her head shyly as she did. 

“I’ll check this out, Marinette. Thanks.” He made a point of slipping the card into his shirt pocket so she could see and watched her track the movement.

“And you’re Adrien?” she asked, pointing to his name tag.

He looked down and chuckled. “I am.”

“Nice to meet you, Adrien.” She smiled at him again, cheeks still pink. “Maybe I’ll see you in here again soon.”

“I’d like that.”

And that was it. He was done for since that first meeting. Marinette had shown up two days later with more packages to ship out and Adrien had decided this was the best job he could’ve ever wandered into. 

A roll of stamps hit him in the side of the head and he blinked, his trip down memory lane slipping away. “Hey, what was that for?”

“You were looking at the door and doing that annoying dreamy sigh thing. I don’t know why you keep looking for her. You’re not going to ask her out. Again.” Alix waved over the next waiting customer and took their envelopes without looking at them. “I heard Kim say he was going to ask her out since you’ve had a year and made no progress.”

“What?” Adrien leaned forward so he could look down the counter past Alix at Kim. 

The other man grinned as he scanned in a package. “It’s true, man. I’m going to do it today if she gets up to my booth.”

Adrien frowned and waved up his next customer. He went through the motions of a stamp transaction and tried to paste on a smile as the person walked away. The door at the back of the line opened at his heart caught in his throat. Marinette was here. He looked down at Kim who laughed and gave him a thumbs up. 

Adrien tried to calculate if she was going to be coming to him as he made his way through customers. An older gentleman was writing an address so slowly that Adrien thought he was going to jump out of his skin as Alix and Kim moved more customers through the line. 

This was it. He was going to miss his chance. He’d been too afraid to ask Marinette out for a cup of coffee or dinner and now Kim was going to sweep her off her feet.

His current customer finally finished and Adrien completed his transaction and looked to the next person in line. Marinette beamed at him and stepped up to the counter.

“You’re welcome,” Alix muttered under her breath. 

Adrien looked past her to see Kim fighting with a large roll of bubble wrap as the couple at his booth looked annoyed.

“I was hoping I’d be able to get you today,” Marinette said in greeting as she stacked boxes in front of him. “I brought you some of those holiday cookies from my parents’ bakery I was talking about on Monday.”

“Oh, wow, you didn’t need to do that.” Adrien knew he was blushing and tried to ignore it as he carefully scanned her printed labels. 

“I wanted to. You’re always so helpful when I come in.”

He couldn’t see her yet over the stacks of boxes she’d made but he felt a little sting at her words. Maybe this was a bad idea. If he asked her out and she said no, it would make things so awkward. Instead of having pleasant conversations with her, she might start pointedly trying to go to the other open booths instead of his. Maybe he shouldn’t rock the boat.

“Just doing my job,” he answered, feeling his hopeful attitude evaporate. He heard Alix snort from the next desk.

“Oh, uh, well, thank you anyway.” Marinette was smiling when he finally pulled the top layer of boxes down so he could see her again but it was a stiff smile. “Unless I get a lot of last minute orders this week for Christmas, this might be the last time I’m in here for a bit. I think things are dying down.”

“That’s too bad. I’ve enjoyed seeing you more.” There were only three packages left now and despite his earlier thoughts, Adrien wanted to slow down now. He didn’t like not knowing when he might see her next. “It’ll probably be nice to have a break though. I know you have to be working hard with all these boxes.”

“Yeah, my fingers have been cramping a little,” she admitted with a small laugh. “I bet you’re ready for a break too.” 

“It hasn’t been too bad, and I’ll have Wednesday off for Christmas.” There was only one box left. He pretended to need to do something on his computer before he could scan it. He definitely wasn’t ready for her to leave.

“Got any big plans?”

“Oh, uh, not really. My cousin might come into town later in the week for dinner.”

Her bottom lip stuck out a little. “But no plans on Christmas?”

Adrien ducked his head and scanned in the last package. “No. But it’s okay. It doesn’t bother me.” He printed off her acceptance receipt and handed it to her. “I hope you have a great Christmas, Marinette.”

She lifted a bakery box out of her bag and put it on the counter. “I will, and you should join me!” She beamed at him and her cheeks were a dark pink. “I mean, um...well, so my roommate’s family went out of town for Christmas this year but she had to stay here for work and her boyfriend is spending Christmas with us too. You’re more than welcome to join us.”

“I don’t want to intrude...”

“You’re not intruding. I just invited you.” Her blush deepened and she grabbed a pen from the cup on the counter and began to write on the top of the bakery box. “This is my number so text me and I’ll give you the time and address.” She looked up at him with a hopeful smile. “Okay?”

Adrien knew he was grinning like an idiot but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. “Okay, thanks.”

She tapped the top of the box. “I mean it, Adrien. You’re coming to our Christmas. No one should be alone on Christmas. Text me.” She bit her lip, eyes bright and cheeks pink, and then waved as she quickly stepped back and hurried out of the post office. He watched her go with a dreamy sigh and didn’t care if his coworker heard it.

“Well, holy crap, you didn’t even have to ask her out.” Alix whistled. “Look at you.”

“Aww, man.” Kim shook his head. “I knew you sent me that couple with the vases on purpose, Al. I suck at packing fragile stuff.”

“What can I say? Adrien looked like he needed a win today.”

“I know that’s a nice way of saying I looked pathetic but I’m going to take it with grace,” Adrien replied, waving over the next customer. He picked up the bakery box and carefully set it to the side, running his fingers along Marinette’s number before continuing with his work.   
___

Adrien checked the address from Marinette’s text again even after his lift dropped him off. It was an unremarkable brick building, an older place that had obviously been split into apartment later in life. He took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the handles of the bag he held, and entered the building. He took the stairs two at a time up to the third floor and knocked on the door with the brightly painted purple C on it. 

The door opened and Marinette beamed at him. “Adrien, you came!” Her eyes were bright and her face was flushed. A fuzzy reindeer antlers headband sat on her head and somehow worked perfectly with the soft pink sweater she wore. 

“Hi. Merry Christmas--oh!” He gasped as she pulled him into a hug that also pulled him inside the apartment.

Unfamiliar laughter rang out as they parted. “Mari here was a little anxious about you coming so she might have started in on the holiday spirits a little early. I’m Alya, her roommate.” The other woman offered her hand and Adrien shook it, barely taking his eyes of Marinette. “Oh, you brought more wine. Just what we needed.” She lifted the bag from his hand with a wry smile.

“Alya! Shhh!” Marinette turned back to Adrien in adorable embarrassment. “I’m not...I’m just a little tipsy but I’m going to eat and then everything will be perfect!” She beamed at him. “Have you had a nice day so far?”

Adrien was sure his heart was going to burst from fondness. “It’s getting better now.”

“That’s so sweet!” She covered her face with a squeaking noise but dragged her hands back down so she could take his. “Come on, I’ll show you where the food and drinks are.”

“She’s going to be so mad at you tomorrow, babe.” A man joined Alya’s side and nodded at Adrien. “Hey, dude, I’m Nino. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.”

“Listen, I told her to have one glass of wine, not most of a bottle,” Alya argued. “She was just nervous about our company.” She winked at Adrien and he knew his face was betraying him.

“Oh, this is Nino!” Marinette announced belatedly. She looked between the three. “Am I talking too much? I feel like I’m talking too much.”

“Not at all,” Adrien assured her. “Are you having a good Christmas?”

“I am! I spent the morning with my parents and now you’re here and it’s going to be great. Right, Alya?”

Alya laughed again and moved to hug her roommate. “Absolutely.”

“This is the first time we’ve done a friends Christmas,” Marinette babbled, leading the way to the kitchen. “And when I told them I’d invited you, they were so proud of me. You get to be our friend too!” She turned around to smile at Adrien and lost her balance, stumbling into him. 

He caught her against his chest and his breath left his lungs as she blinked up at him with wide blue eyes. “Oh...”

“Well, I think that’s definitely the cue for dinner,” Alya laughed, pulling Marinette back easily and directing her to the small dining table. “Let’s get you some coffee, sweets.”  
___

It was getting late and Alya and Nino had already retired to the bedroom, but Adrien couldn’t seem to force himself to leave. He and Marinette sat on her couch watching the lights of the Christmas tree blink on and off in a mesmerizing pattern.  
“You can be honest and say I was totally ridiculous.” Marinette scrunched her nose up and made an embarrassed sound. “I can’t believe I was already drunk when you got here.”

“You were just a little tipsy,” Adrien laughed. “It could happen to anyone.”

“But of course it happened to me.” She shook her head. “I hope it wasn’t too uncomfortable.”

“You were really cute.”

“Don’t say that!” She covered her face. “I’m going to have to start going to a new post office now.”

“Please don’t do that.” He chuckled as he pulled her hands down gently by the wrist. “I’d miss seeing you too much.”

She bit her lip. “I’d miss seeing you too. I still kinda can’t believe you’re actually here on my couch.”

“Wait, really?”

“Well, yeah.” She stared at the tree in a pointed effort not to look at him. “I’ve been trying to work up the courage to ask you out for ages. Alya gives me a hard time every time I come home from the post office without doing it.”

“My friends give me a hard time too! I mean, not because you don’t, uh, ask me out, but, um...” He snorted. “Now I’m embarrassed.”

“Good. I like being even,” she teased.

“I just meant I’ve been trying to work up my courage for, like, a year now.”

“So I’m braver than you.” She nodded. “I can live with that.”

“I don’t know if that’s a fair assessment.”

“I think it is.”

Adrien laughed again. “You know what? You do win. This is the best Christmas I’ve had in a really, really long time and I would be sitting at home alone right now if you hadn’t asked me over.” He tentatively reached for her hand, covering it with his own. “Thank you, Marinette. This has been one of the best days ever.”

Marinette blushed and rested her head on his shoulder as they watched the Christmas lights change. “Merry Christmas, Adrien.”

He slid his fingers along hers and felt a little lightheaded as she linked them with her own. “Merry Christmas,” he whispered.


	16. Chloe and Nathaniel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a continuation of the drabble from Chapter 2 of this set.

“Hello?”

“Is it a good thing or a bad thing that I’m trying really hard not to think too much while I’m getting ready?” Chloe stared at her reflection as she held the phone to her ear. She’d gotten through most of her makeup, but her left eye was obviously missing mascara. She’d gone as long as she could without freaking out enough to call Adrien but he’d become her safety blanket on rough days. “Because by trying not to think too much, I think I’m thinking too much which might be really bad.”

“Chloe?”

“Yes! Answer the question,” she snapped. “Please.”

“I...wait, can you repeat it?”

She huffed and put the call on speaker so she could keep working on her makeup. “I’m getting ready to go meet Nathaniel. We’re going to do coffee at that cat cafe down the street.”

“You hate cats. As much as that pains me to say, by the way.”

“Which is why it will be a valid excuse to leave if it’s too much.” She swiped the wand along her lashes with practice.

“I guess, but it seems kinda, I don’t know...going somewhere you don’t like when you’re already stressed about seeing him feels like adding fuel to the fire.”

Chloe dropped the mascara into its spot in her counter organizer. Everything had a space now and things needed to be returned to their spots after being used and not left to clutter. That had been an exercise she’d been working on since starting therapy. 

The Chloe five months ago would’ve had makeup scattered along the vanity, piles of clothes around the room, and ancient takeout in the fridge. Present Chloe was trying to do better about taking care of herself and her space. She was surprised to find what a mental relief it had been once she’d actually stopped bitching and started organizing her apartment. She’d let her therapist know how dumb she thought the whole thing was and still wasn’t planning on admitting how much it’d helped her anytime soon.

“I should text and cancel.” Chloe picked up her phone. “Thanks, Adrien.”

“Wait! Don’t hang up yet. That’s not what I’m saying.” There was a murmur on his end of the line and his reply was inaudible.

“Is that Marinette or Nino?”

“You know, it could be someone else. I know more than three people.”

Chloe smiled as she opened her lipstick. “Sure you do, Adrikins. So which one is it?”

“Marinette. She’s cooking dinner.”

“Mmhmm.”

“What I was going to say is that I think you should meet Nath somewhere else. If you’re going to the cat cafe, you’re already looking for an excuse for it not to work and if that’s the case, just call it off all together.”

She rolled the lipstick all the way up and then back down into the tube. “What if I’m not sure if I want it to work?”

“Tell him you need more time.”

“It’s been months though.” She could hear his steady breathing on the line and it was a comfort. Adrien was the only person who’d known her most of her life and had seen the best and the worst of her and was still there. 

“We’ve had this conversation before,” he reminded her gently. “If you aren’t ready, you aren’t ready, and if Nathaniel moves on, he moves on. You’ve both got to do what’s right for you.”

Chloe looked at her reflection, her shiny ponytail and her perfect makeup and her lovely jewelry, and she knew she wasn’t leaving her apartment. “I’m not ready,” she said, and she wasn’t sure if it was a confession or just fear and doubt.  
___

Cancelling her coffee date with Nathaniel had thrown Chloe into a funk. She cancelled dinner with Adrien and Marinette the following week and called in sick for her therapy session. She ordered takeout every night and did the bare minimum she could get away with at work. Her phone died days ago and she’d never bothered to put it on the charger. She knew she was slipping, but she was finding it hard to care.

She was moving from watching television on the couch to her bedroom one night two or so weeks after cancelling the date when there was a knock on her apartment door. After the initial surprise of a visitor wore off, she glared at the door as another knock sounded out.

“What?” she barked, crossing her arms.

“Chloe?”

Her heart jumped into her throat at the sound of his voice. 

Nathaniel was at her door.

She looked around the trashed living room with slight panic. This wasn’t how he was supposed to see her after this long. She had her shit together now. She took care of herself. The next time they saw each other, she was supposed to be able to show how well she was doing. She wanted to look pretty and she was currently going on day three without a proper shower.

Maybe he would go away if she didn’t answer. It wasn’t like he could wait in the hall all night. The terrifying thought that he still had his key struck her like a bolt of lightning and she crouched down behind the couch as if he could somehow see her through the door.

“I’m sorry for just stopping by like this,” Nathaniel said, voice muffled through the door. “But after you didn’t reply to my texts and calls, I got a little worried. Adrien said maybe I should stop by?”

Chloe scowled at a greasy box of old Chinese takeout by her feet on the floor. She was going to kill Adrien.

“He said he hasn’t been able to get in touch with you either for a few days and he’s worried.” There was a weighted pause. “Hey, Chlo, you don’t have to open the door or anything, but can you just let me know if you’re okay?”

She was tempted not to reply. There was a small, twisted part of her that wanted him to worry. She wanted him to be afraid something had happened to her and she wanted him to blame himself for it.

Chloe took in a deep breath and shook away those thoughts. That wasn’t the person she wanted to be. She went to the door. “I’m here,” she said. Her voice wasn’t loud but she could hear Nathaniel’s sigh of relief on the other side. She slid down to the plush carpet and leaned against the door. “I’m okay.”

“Okay...okay, good. Thank you.”

She didn’t reply. She didn’t know what else to say.

“Do you want me to leave?” he asked.

No. She didn’t. She really didn’t. But she didn’t want him to come in either.  
“No,” she finally answered. “But I need you to stay out there.” There was a thud against the door that didn’t quite feel like a knock and Nathaniel’s next words rang out clearer as if he’d sat down by the door as well.

“That’s fine,” he said. “It sounds like you’re sitting so I’m going to sit too.”

“You’re just going to sit in the hall?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.”

“How have you been?”

Chloe snorted and picked at the chipping pale gold polish on her thumbnail. “The jury’s still out on that one. How about you?”

“I’m fine. Not fine, fine, but...fine.” There was a long pause. “I really miss you.”

She felt relieved and scared at the same time. “I miss you too,” she replied after a minute of strained silence. “I’ve, uh, I’ve been going to therapy. I started after you, after we...well, you know.” She felt her face flush. She wasn’t ashamed of going to therapy, not really, but it suddenly felt like a very private thing. But it was also something she wanted him to know. It was complicated.

“How’s it been?”

“Sometimes it sucks and sometimes it really helps.”

“I’ve heard that about therapy..”

She didn’t quite laugh, the sound she made coming out more choked than happy. “Yeah, it’s definitely something. I think it’s been mostly a good thing though.”

“I’m really glad,” Nathaniel replied. 

Chloe pressed her cheek against the door and imagined she could feel his warmth through it. “I’m really sorry, Nathaniel,” she said quietly. “I was awful to you. I’ve been awful to so many people but I never should’ve hurt you.” She was tense as she waited for a reply.

“I could’ve stayed,” he said. “I could’ve tried to understand or...we could’ve gotten help together or something. It’s not all on you.”

“I needed to get myself straightened out for me before I could be someone to you or anyone else. I’ve been learning that slowly. It’s not the easiest thing.”

“No, it’s not.” The door shifted as Nathaniel adjusted his position. “I’m glad you’re okay, Chlo. I’ve been worried about you but I was trying to give you your space.”

“Thank you for that. I...I needed it.”

“I’m sorry if showing up tonight made things hard.”

Chloe smiled at the door and traced her finger along the ridges in the wood. “I think this is actually exactly what I needed.”

“Oh, that’s...I’m really glad then.”

She imagined what his smile looked like; she could hear it in his words.

“I don’t want it to seem like I’m pressuring you though,” he continued. “After our coffee date getting cancelled and then hearing that Adrien hadn’t been able to get in touch with you either, I couldn’t keep myself from coming over. I’ll try to keep my distance again though. You take as much time as you need.”

The locks on her door shined in the light and Chloe was tempted to reach up and undo them. She wanted to whisk Nathaniel back into the apartment they’d shared and maybe it could be like this nightmare had never happened. The last half a year could fade away into a hazy memory.

But she needed to remember. She didn’t want to fall back into bad patterns. She wanted to keep evolving and changing and becoming the person she hoped to be.

“I want you to come in,” she said, “but not tonight. Soon, but not yet.”

“Soon sounds good. Just don’t shut everyone out, okay, Chlo? Even if you aren’t ever ready for me, make sure you reach out when you need someone.”

She hugged herself and felt strangely happy. “I will,” she promised. “And I want to be ready for you, Nath. I’m working on it.”

“Then I’ll be waiting.”

“Good.” She stretched and stood, smiling from ear to ear. “I’m going to do some stuff around here but I’ll call you when I’m ready, okay?” She listened as he got to his feet on the other side of the door.

“That sounds great. Thanks for talking to me tonight. It made me really happy.”

“Me too. Goodnight, Nathaniel.”

“Goodnight, Chloe.” 

She pressed her palm to the door and imagined he was doing the same. After a long few seconds, she stepped away and surveyed her living room. With a decided nod, she went to her kitchen to get a trash bag. She swept all of the takeout containers and miscellaneous trash into a bag and straightened up around the room. The whole apartment could use a good cleaning but that would be for another day.

With a content sigh, she went to her bedroom and crawled into bed. She turned on the television and cuddled in her blankets and felt right. She had slipped. She’d had a funk. She’d let herself fall, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t get up again. Nothing was set in stone.

She would keep growing because she wanted to, and she would take life a day at a time and that would be just fine.


	17. Alix and Nathaniel

“Okay, pros and cons of all the places we looked at today.” Nathaniel scrolled through the listings he and Alix had visited to find a place they could move into together. “The loft was amazing, but the only bathroom facility was a single toilet in the middle of the room with no walls or anything around it.”

“But the place was huge and cheap, and we could put a shower curtain or something around the toilet,” Alix said. “We could never afford anywhere else that big.”

“Because there was a single toilet in the middle of the room,” he reiterated. “No sink, no kitchen, nowhere to do our clothes. Just one single toilet in the middle of a big open room.”

“We could totally skate in there.”

“It’s like I’m not even talking.”

Alix blew out a puff of air, her bangs lifting slightly from the action. “Fine, fine, Nath. Which one did you like?”

“I liked the loft but the cost just doesn’t seem worth it after we have to add in all the other stuff we need.”

“Agreed, I guess.”

“There was that place on the edge of town. The neighborhood seemed a little rough.”

Alix knocked her shoulder against his. “Don’t worry, I’d protect you.”

Nathaniel laughed and shook his head. “It’s in our budget, but the commute is going to be more than either of us wanted.”

“And the other places are higher than we were wanting to pay, right?”

“Not by much but yeah.”

“Hmmm.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “What if we got another roommate?”

Nathaniel grimaced. “Who were you thinking?”

“You don’t have to look so scared.”

“I’m too familiar with you to not be scared.”

She shook her head, grinning. “I’ve got a few names in my head. I’ll poke around and see if any of them are available. You’ll just have to trust me.”

“Terrifying.”

“Hey, when have I ever steered you wrong?”

Nathaniel chuckled. “Do you want me to list all the times out now or write them down for you to read later?”

“It’s like you’re not even honored to be my best friend.”


	18. Chloe, Alix, and Nathaniel

“I’m glad we’re finally doing this.” Nathaniel looked anxiously between his girlfriend and his best friend. “I’ve been hoping the three of us could hang out together for a while now.”

“Yeah, I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing,” Alix added, tone dry.

Chloe narrowed her eyes and reached for her glass of water, taking a long pull through the straw without making a comment.

“Right, uh, so, yeah, this is great.” Nathaniel wrung his hands together. “I’m going to run to the restroom. I’ll be right back.” He gave them each a smile before bolting away from the table.

“I’m surprised he’s not literally running,” Alix sighed, watching him go. After a moment, she returned her attention to Chloe. “I don’t like you.”

“Believe me, the feeling is entirely mutual.”

“But Nathaniel likes you.”

She straightened and lifted a perfectly plucked eyebrow. “Yes. He does.”

Alix’s shoulders slumped. “So for the sake of my best friend, I’m going to try to at least be civil with you. Is that something you think you can hold yourself too, your Highness?”

Chloe audibly ground her teeth together before nodding. “That’s something I’m capable of, yes.”

“Good.”

“Fine.”

The restaurant bustled around them as both of their gazes kept going towards the hall leading to the restrooms. 

“I hope you like him as much as he likes you,” Alix said, breaking the heavy uneasiness between them. “I will come after you if you hurt him.”

“You can see me shaking in fear,” Chloe shot back. She let out a huff of air. “But I do really like Nathaniel. I have no plans of hurting him.”

“Good.”

“Yeah, it is.”

They both let out loud sighs of relief when Nathaniel appeared in the hallway and made his way back to them with a tentative smile. 

“Everything okay?”

“Sure,” Chloe nodded, shifting her chair closer to his and opening her menu. “Just trying to decide what to order.”

Nathaniel slid a look to Alix. “Yeah?”

She glanced at Chloe before nodding. “Yeah.”


	19. Marinette and Nino

“Can we just listen to music or do something super chill tonight?” Nino slumped back on Marinette’s chaise and pulled the bill of his hat down over his eyes.

Marinette sat down in her desk chair with a frown. “Bad day?”

“Not bad just...I don’t know, bleh? Nothing really happened, but the whole day was off. Does that makes sense?”

“Definitely.” She started one of his playlists on her computer and looked over to see him smile under his hat. “Volume okay?”

“Perfect.” He opened his arms and she got up and joined him on the chaise, curling around his larger frame. He took his hat off and dropped it on the floor beside them and kissed her forehead. “How was your day?”

“Fine. Nothing too exciting really.”

“Wasn’t there an akuma?”

“Oh, well, yeah, but that’s like any other Tuesday.” She grinned at him and he snorted.

“That’s fair.”

“Did you hear back about that job at the radio station yet?”

Nino turned more so he could pull her closer against him. “No. Not sure if I will. The guy warned me I was too young for the position.”

“But you’d still be great at it.”

He blushed. “Maybe.”  
“Definitely. Ooo, this is my favorite song on this list,” Marinette murmured, closing her eyes and tucking her head under his chin. They listened to the soft melody as it floated from the desk speakers.

Nino kissed the top of his girlfriend's head and let out a content sigh. “This is exactly what I needed tonight.”

She tilted her head back so she could look up at him with a fond smile. “I didn’t realize it, but I think it’s exactly what I needed too. It’s nice how things work out like that, huh?”

“The nicest.”


	20. Marinette, Kagami, Luka, and Adrien

“You made it!” Marinette threw her arms around Kagami with a happy squeal. “I didn’t think you’d been in ‘til tomorrow.”

Kagami hugged her back, though in a more reserved manner. “I was able to leave the office early and instead of waiting for the morning flight, I came ahead tonight. I stopped by the bakery and your dad told me you were here.” Her eyes flicked downward as a pretty pink blush washed across her cheeks as they parted. “Are you happy?”

“Very much.” Marinette gave her arm an extra squeeze before gesturing to the table she’d been at when the other woman came into the restaurant. “Wanna sit? Adrien texted that he’s on his way which means he hasn’t left the house yet, and Luka was going to finish up at the studio as quickly as he could. Jagged wanted to finish at least two tracks today but apparently he keeps getting distracted so it’s going long. I was already getting hungry so I decided to come ahead and order a salad instead of waiting around.”

“Just like old times then.”

“Everything changes and stays the same,” she laughed, taking a seat. “Did you have a good flight?”

“It was a flight,” Kagami shrugged. “Nothing too terrible or too pleasant.”

“And work’s been good?”

“Let’s talk about you. I have to talk about work all the time.”

Marinette shifted in her seat. “There’s not much to talk about with me,” she admitted. “I’m working at the bakery and still doing the Ladybug thing. Life is kinda boring.”

Kagami frowned. “What would you rather be doing?”

“I don’t know. It doesn’t really matter, does it?” She gave her half a smile. “My responsibilities are here and honestly, it’s not bad. It just gets a little...hmm, monotonous sometimes.”

“Are you still with...them?” The other woman clenched her jaw before relaxing it again and meeting Marinette’s eyes. “I mean, are the three of you together now or...”

“Oh, uh, no.” Marinette shook her head. “I mean, occasionally we are, in a way, if you get my drift?” She scrunched her nose and let out a nervous giggle. “But we aren’t dating each other or anything. We dated a little after you moved but it never felt right, I guess. I think most people assume we’re dating, or that I’m dating each of them, and I guess in a way, that’s true, but...”

“But no?”

“No. I love them both and know they’re here for me if I need them but...” She trailed off with a small shake of her head. “I don’t know. I think we just missed our timing and it doesn’t quite feel right without all of us.”

Kagami snorted softly. “I’ve wondered about that myself.”

“About timing?”

“Yeah. I think about if I’d stayed here instead of going to Tokyo to run the office there for my mother. I guess I wonder if we’d still be together or if that’s just youthful thinking.”

“We were young,” Marinette sighed. “Maybe it wouldn’t have worked out. It was nice though, the four of us.”

“Yeah, it really was.”

Marinette pushed a chunk of tomato around her salad with her fork. “I don’t think this is going to cut it anymore. Wanna order drinks?”

“I really, really do.”  
___

“No, that’s not how it happened!” Adrien’s face was red with laughter and he held up a hand. “I was only mostly naked and it wasn’t my fault!”

“You were fully naked! Holding a guitar over your, ahem, assets does not count as being clothed,” Marinette argued gleefully. “And of course that’s when Anarka decides to come over for a visit.”

Luka shook his head ruefully. “Only my mother would take me outside to congratulate me on my threesome.”

“It was still totally innocent though,” Adrien sighed. “I just happened to forget that I’d been taking a shower when I got the call about the akuma so when I dropped my transformation--”

“Quite literally,” Marinette added. 

“Hush, you.”

“It sounds like I’ve missed more than a few innocent events,” Kagami teased, bumping her shoulder against Adrien’s.

He grinned at her and slid his arm around her to pull her closer. “That’s why you should move back. We miss you, Mimi.”

“You were the only one with any sense.” Luka tapped long fingers along the silverware he laid between their plates as if they were piano keys. “You see what I was left to deal with it.”

“As if you’d take us any other way.” Marinette rested her head on his shoulder with a content sigh. “I either need something else to drink or I need a pillow because I’m fading fast.”

“It’s pretty late already.”

“I don’t want to split up though. We just all came together again for the first time in forever.” She yawned widely. “Sleepover.”

“I’m supposed to be back at the studio in the morning.” Luka smoothed her hair down and kissed the top of her head. “I think I just need to go home.”

“And I have work I need to catch up on at the hotel,” Kagami said after a reluctant pause. “We can meet for brunch if you want.”

“Or you two could forget that stuff and come over to my place so we can all catch up some more,” Adrien offered. “Come on, it’s been years. I have a guest bedroom and the couch is really comfortable and anyone is welcome in my bed, of course.” He turned so he could look at Kagami. “It doesn’t have to be weird.”

“I’m that easy to read, huh?” She pursed her lips. “Looks like my poker face needs some work.”

“We’re still friends, right? Friends watch movies and stay up too late and talk about old stories. Please?”

“Yeah, please?” Marinette reached across the table to grasp Kagami’s hands in hers and fluttered her eyelashes. 

Kagami looked to Luka for support but he gave her an easy grin in return. “I learned I can’t win when they team up a long time ago. Believe me, it’s easier to just give in.”

“Fine.”

“Yes!”

Kagami stared at each of them in turn. “But I do really have to get some work done tomorrow. I mean it.”

Adrien nodded in mock seriousness. “Sure, we’ll make sure that happens.”

“Of course, of course,” Marinette agreed with a wave of her hand.

“I’m going to go ahead and text Penny.” Luka laughed and took out his phone. “I have a feeling I’m not making it in tomorrow after all.”


	21. Marinette and Adrien

Marinette took in a deep breath and returned Alya’s thumbs up with a determined nod. She gripped the straps of her backpack tightly as she made her way over to where Adrien was bent down, tying his shoe, by the staircase.

“Hi!” She tried not to wince at the volume and pitch of her greeting when Adrien jumped and looked up at her with wide green eyes.

His surprised look gave way to a fond smile. “Marinette, hi.” He stood and tugged on the hem of his over shirt to pull it straight in a nervous gesture. “What’s up?”

She cast a quick glance back over her shoulder and Alya gave her a reassuring grin. Marinette turned back to Adrien and pasted on a smile. “I wanted to see if you would go out to dinner,” she said in a rush, “with me.” 

“Dinner with just you and me?” He blinked. “Like a date?”

“Um, yes?” she squeaked as a blush raced across her cheeks. “If, um, if you want to, but if you don’t, that’s, uh, that’s okay too. We can invite other people or we can--”

“I want to!” Adrien ducked his head shyly. “I mean, that sounds really fun. I’d love to go out with you, Marinette. Just you.”

“Yes! Great! That’s...that’s great. So we’ll go on a date. You and me. Cool. Cool, cool, cool. So, uh, bye!” She turned on her heel and hurried back to Alya.

"Dude, did she actually do it? I’m proud of her.” Nino slung an arm around Adrien’s shoulder. “She’s been psyching herself up for it all week. You said yes, right? Oh man, did you say yes?”

“Of course I said yes, but...”

“But?”

He frowned. “She didn’t tell me when or where.” Adrien watched Alya burst into laughter across the room as Marinette covered her face. He couldn’t stop the wide, dopey grin that took over his face. “She’s kinda perfect, huh?”


	22. Nino and Felix

“Are we on a date right now?” Felix stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, causing Nino to go on without him a few steps before turning around with a blush.

“What?”

Judging green eyes swept pointedly up and down the other man. “I’ve never seen you wear a blazer before, and for once, you aren’t sporting those awful, tacky sneakers.” He raised an eyebrow. “That leads me to believe you think this is a date.”

The laugh Nino let out made Felix frown. “You think that I think we’re on a date right now?” His grin was wide. “In what universe would we be on a date? Come on, dude. I’m wearing this because Marinette asked us to dress nice for this wedding party meet and greet thing.”

Felix pursed his lips in an almost painful gesture. “Not a date then, my mistake.”

“Definitely not a date.”

“You did pick me up at the hotel. Well, ‘pick up’ isn’t exactly right since we’re walking,” he said with a sigh of disgust.

“I don’t have a car because I don’t usually need a car. And yeah, I came to get you to make sure you actually showed up. For some reason, your cousin seems to think you’re still an okay guy.” Nino made a scoffing noise but it was only half-hearted. “And as his best man, I’m not going to let you let him down.”

“I see.”

They walked another block in silence before Nino popped his lips a few times awkwardly. “Wait, did you think this was a date?”

“I’m not nearly that stupid.”

“Ah.”

“Like you said, in what universe would we be on a date?” Felix posed his question back to him, keeping his eyes ahead. White and gold balloons bobbed in the distance, signaling they were close to the venue. 

“I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings when I said that, dude.”

“Funny that you think you could.”

Nino sighed. “Fine, whatever. Sorry.” 

“Doesn’t this whole event seem ridiculous?”

“Huh?”

“Most of us in the wedding party already know each other. Why have a ‘meet and greet’?” Felix lifted his fingers in quotations with a sneer.

“I guess just to get us all to hang out.” Nino shrugged. “It’s nice.”

“If you say so.”

He shook his head. “Do you ever get tired of being such an asshole?”

“No, I actually enjoy it quite a bit, thanks.”  
_____

“He drives me crazy,” Nino fumed. He stabbed at a cocktail weenie with his fork. “He’s entitled and a jerk and I hate his stuffy clothes. And I know I sound ridiculous, but I don’t care.”

“Uh-huh.” Alya ran her finger along the rim of her champagne glass.

“And I don’t know if I’m going to make it the next month if I have to try to keep track of him for all the wedding stuff.”

“Sure sounds like a hard job no one asked you to do,” she pointed out, a smirk pulling at the corner of her lips.

Nino blinked, mouth gaping open a bit. “I...well, no, not officially, but come on, Al. You know how he’s been in the past. I don’t want him to ruin this for Adrien and Mari.”  
“Me neither.” She turned her head to look at Felix sullenly sitting alone at a table on the opposite side of the room. “Just look at him over there, ruining things.”

Felix did look lonely, his scowl coming off less hostile than usual. 

Nino quickly looked away when the other man caught him staring. “I don’t know why you care. I thought you hated Felix.”

Alya chuckled. “I don’t hate him. I don’t like him, but hate is a really strong emotion. He’s not worth that energy from me.” She took a sip of her drink. “And I could learn to like him if he was important to someone I love.”

Turning his head to hide his blush, Nino tried to look anywhere around the room but where Felix was. “Like Adrien.”

“Sure, babe. Like Adrien,” she sighed, shaking her head.  
_____

“Well, I suppose I’m leaving unless you’d like to have me arrested for attempting to go back to the hotel alone,” Felix said dryly. His eyes lingered on Nino for a long second before he was turning away from the table.

Nino swallowed hard and pushed his chair away from the table with too much force. The legs scraped against the hardwood floor and he winced as he attempted not to make eye contact with the gleeful Alya still sitting at the table.

“I’ll, uh, I’ll walk back with you. I’m ready to go too,” he offered when Felix looked back at him with surprise.

“It’s your life,” he replied but waited for Nino to grab his blazer of the back of his chair and hurriedly thrust his arms into the sleeves.

“Can you let Adrien know I’ll be back later?” he whispered to Alya, eyes desperate and cheeks dark.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Lahiffe.” She winked in return and his blush deepened.

Nino spun on his heels and fell into step beside Felix as they left the building. “It was a nice party.”

Felix cleared his throat. “Yes, I suppose it was. Adrien seems very happy with the bakery girl.”

“You know her name is Marinette, dude.”

“Marinette,” he echoed, unimpressed. “Right.”

“For a meet and greet, you didn’t seem to talk much.”

“When you know you’re less liked than Chloe Bourgeois, it’s easier to just keep to yourself.”

Nino stopped walking and Felix sighed as he turned to look at him.

“Fine, Chloe is a wonderfully sweet person who I shouldn’t say things like that about.” Felix crossed his arms. “Happy?”

He couldn’t stop the grin stretching his lips. “I didn’t ask you to lie, dude.” He was pleased to see the hint of a smile from Felix.

“Ah, I suppose you didn’t.”

“Chloe is great in her own Chloe way though,” Nino added. “Just like you are.”

“I’m great now?”

“Sometimes, in a Felix way.”

Felix considered his evaluation. “That’s acceptable.”

Nino laughed. “Good to know, I guess.”

“For the record, your company isn’t entirely insufferable sometimes.”

“I don’t feel like I should say thanks to that, but it’s also you, so thanks.” Nino knew his cheeks were going to be sore from smiling. “If you ever want my not entirely insufferable company when there isn’t wedding stuff going on, just let me know.”

Felix tilted his chin up defiantly, trying to force the blush spreading across his cheeks to calm. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Nino nodded, feeling strangely satisfied. “Good.”

“Yes, I believe it is.”


	23. Marinette and Chat Noir

Thanks to @meowvalous-lady for requesting Marinette and Chat Noir from my prompt list.

___

“Is that blood?!” Marinette pushed out of her desk chair and went to the office window Chat Noir was perched on the other side of. She quickly unlatched the locks and pushed the glass up. “Hey, is that blood?” she repeated as she took in the running red scratches along his cheek and across his neck. “Please tell me no.”

“No?” He offered her a weak smile and then half-collapsed into her office.

“Chat! What in the...” She muttered under her breath as she pulled his long legs through the window, boots thudding heavily against the hardwood floor. “Talk to me. What happened?”

“Werewolf.”

She blinked as she helped him lean his back against the wall. “Werewolf?”

“Werewolf,” he nodded.

“Akumatized?”

Chat Noir winced as he stretched his legs out in front of him. “I sure hope so. I don’t think I wanna live in a world with real werewolves on top of everything else.”

“Says the guy dressed as a cat,” Marinette teased as she leaned in closer to examine his wounds. “They don’t look too deep at least. Let me grab the first aid kit.”

She stood and went to her desk and pulled a sleek black box out of her bottom drawer. “Do you guys need me to suit up?”

He sighed as she slid the bell attached to his zipper halfway down his chest so she had more room to clean the drying blood. “No. You’re on hiatus. We can handle this.”

“Mmm.”

“Don’t ‘mmm’ me. That’s very rude to ‘mmm’ me, my Lady.”

She laughed softly as she cleaned the wound on his neck. “You can’t be that hurt if you’re talking back.”

“Rena thought the smell of my blood was making it crazier so she told me to go get cleaned up.”

“Smart.”

“I was maybe a little dramatic when I first got here, but in my defense, I ran really fast and was feeling a little faint. I’m better now that I’m sitting down.”

“You, dramatic?” She raised an eyebrow as she smoothed a clean bandage over his neck. “Why, I never would’ve thought.”

His black ears drooped over his hair. “Sorry I came here. I know you’re trying to take a break from the active field stuff for a while so you can concentrate more on the Guardian stuff.”

Marinette paused for a moment before grabbing ointment to rub over the cuts in his cheek. “You don’t need to apologize, Kitty. I’m still your partner. I’ve still got your back.” She frowned as she smoothed the thick concoction in gently. “You might want to get someone to look at this. I don’t think it’s deep enough to scar, but I could be wrong.”

“The claws barely grazed me.”

“Lot of blood for being barely grazed. You weren’t being careful enough.” She smoothed the second gauze covering into place and taped along the edges. She then cupped his uninjured cheek with one hand. Chat Noir leaned into the touch, a long, rumbling purr rolling out from his chest. 

“You promise you’d tell me if you need me back as Ladybug, right?” she whispered. “You would, wouldn’t you?”

“I’ll always need you to be my Ladybug,” he replied with a fond smile. “But you need to take this time to sort stuff out and I can give you that.”

“I put it off for too long,” she sighed, reluctantly pulling away. “I thought I could just keep being Ladybug and take care of the Miraculous.” She looked back towards the box containing the egg-like safe. “Do you need to take one with you for more help?”

“I don’t think so, but let me check.” He groaned as he slid his baton free and brought up the screen. “They seemed to be getting things under control when I left.”

Marinette busied herself with cleaning up the bloodied gauze and used wrappers so she wouldn’t hover over his shoulder.

“Carapace contained it long enough for Queenie to paralyze it. They captured the akuma and said one of ‘em bring it by on the way back.”

“Ah, good.” She let out the breath she’d been holding. “All’s well that ends well then.”

He eyed her. “And you’re still good with transforming to cleanse the akumas?”

“Still good.”

With a grunt, Chat Noir pushed himself up to his feet and gingerly touched at the bandages before pulling his zipper back up. “Thanks for patching me up again, Mari. Sorry I crashed your reading.” He nodded his head towards the open grimoire and notepad full of scribbles on her desk.

“Ah, it’s okay. I was almost falling asleep anyway,” she admitted. “I don’t think I’m much like Master Fu.”

“That’s not a bad thing,” he grinned. “I’ll leave you to it then, and I’ll try not to drop by and get blood everywhere again in the future.” He went to the window and hooked one leg over the side. 

“Hey, Chat?” she called, getting his attention. “Uh, just so you know, it doesn’t always have to be official Miraculous business that brings you over here.” She knew her cheeks were pink and that felt ridiculous. She and Adrien had been working together for years now but there were still these times when she let the business side of things between them slip that made her feel like a fourteen-year old girl all over again.

His fading grin grew almost too bright and he nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind, bugaboo.”

She laughed as he slipped out of the window and she went to it. “I told you to stop calling me that!” she yelled when she spotted him on the opposite roof.

“Can’t hear you,” he sang out. “Goodnight!”

Marinette shook his head in fond exasperation as she slid the window closed once more and locked it. She may be taking a break from things but he was right, she would always be his Ladybug and that suited her just fine.


	24. Marinette and Chloe

“Give me attention,” Chloe demanded, pushing her bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout. “Can’t you see that I’m devastated?”

“Can’t you see that I’m busy?” Marinette shot back without looking up from her tablet.

“But I’m more important!”

With a sigh of fond exasperation, she finally looked at her girlfriend. “Your favorite brand of nail polish discontinuing your favorite color, which changes constantly by the way, does not equal devastation, Chlo. Me failing my Fashion Tech final exam tomorrow? That would be devastating.”

Chloe huffed and dropped her chin in her hands. “I’m still more important,” she muttered.

“You are.” Marinette sighed and put her screen to sleep. “And I could use a break; wanna grab dinner?”

“I don’t want to disrupt you from your studies,” she replied, dramatically draping a hand over her forehead and looking away.

The other girl laughed and pulled at her wrist. “Oh, please. You’ve been trying to disrupt my studies since I started them. In the mood for anything in particular?”

The blonde smirked. “Something gooey and chocolately to help with my heartache?”

“I could definitely deal with that. Chocolate sounds so good right now.” She pressed her palm to her belly and frowned. “I’m on day two and I’ve been going between cramps that make me want to cry and rage flares that make me want to take someone’s head off.”

“Aren’t periods grand?” Chloe examined her nails with a frown, picking at a chip on her left thumbnail. 

“Just the best. We need more pads, by the way.”

“I’ll grab some when I go to find a better favorite nail polish tomorrow. I need tampons too. My Econ course is having a pool party after the final exam and it’s going to be smack dab on the first day I should start.”

“So much fun.”

“Mmmm. Oh, and I’m leaving a note for The Other Two that they need to start buying their own toilet paper and to stop sneaking into our room to steal ours.”

“You can’t keep calling our suitemates ‘The Other Two’. They have names.”

“Do they?” Chloe turned her hand back and forth, unimpressed.

“You’re ridiculous. Let me write the note so they don’t call Student Services on us for unnecessary rudeness.” Marinette pushed herself off the couch and went to the small dorm suite kitchenette to look for the takeout menus. “We probably need real food with the chocolate.”

Chloe rolled onto her back so she could watch her girlfriend without getting up. “Spoilsport. So are you really worried about this exam? I thought you were doing great in that class.”

“I’m not worried as much as...just trying to be super prepared.” 

“So, worried?” she teased.

“Not listening,” Marinette sang as she spread the menus out on the counter. “Chinese, pizza, Thai, Italian...”

“You know you’re going to do great, Mari.” Chloe followed her to the small counter. 

“Maybe, but how I do determines on what direction I go forward with for my concentration so it’s freaking me out a little bit.”

“If you want my opinion, and I know you do,” Chloe said with a well-placed finger on the tip of her girlfriend’s nose, “I say go with the technology-driven side of the fashion concentration. Better to be up-to-date with stuff, right? It’ll be easier to find a job. And you know a lot of the old-fashion stuff anyway.”

“You sound just like a business major.” Marinette pulled her finger down and nipped at it playfully before releasing her hand.

“Good thing I’m excelling in my degree then because I’m a genius,” she beamed. “If we order pizza, we get gooey cheese and we can order that chocolate brownie thing they make. It’s always super gooey too.”

“Yes! You really are a genius.”

“I know,” Chloe replied smugly.

“Too bad you’re so humble about it.”

“It really is a burden.”


	25. Marinette, Adrien, and Nino

“He’s so pretty; I think I’m gonna pass out,” Adrien whispered, cheeks going pink. “How in the world did he get even more handsome?”

“You’re one to talk,” Marinette teased, poking his side. “You’re not kidding though. I never imagined him with facial hair but it’s really working for him.”

“It really is. I want to rub my cheek against his beard.”

“Silly kitty, of course you do.”

“You saying you don’t?”

Marinette giggled and covered her mouth. “Stop! We can’t be talking like this. He’ll spot us soon and we’re going to be too flustered to even speak to him.”

Adrien leaned closer and kissed his partner’s cheek, pulling back with a mischievous grin. “Mmm, it’s nice seeing you flustered like this again. Been a while. Guess I just don’t bring it out in you anymore.”

“Oh, hush. You know that’s not true.” She bit her lip as she watched their old school friend look around for them. “But maybe it was a mistake to admit we both had a crush on him in school. It’s just making this all feel awkward.”

At that moment, golden brown eyes met theirs and Nino grinned widely as he made his way through the crowded bar to the table they were at. He was already reaching out his arms for a hug even as they both stood.

“Ah, it’s good to see you guys,” he beamed as he pulled back from Marinette and reached for Adrien. “I can’t believe it’s been so long.”

“Us either. I’m loving this, by the way.” Adrien ran his thumb along the short, prickly hair covering Nino’s jaw as they half held each other. “A little jealous, actually.”

Nino ducked his head, barely hiding his blush, “Still can’t grow any facial hair, huh, dude?”

“My curse.”

“Baby soft as ever,” he said with a teasing grin as he returned the favor of stroking a finger along Adrien’s jaw. He coughed and stepped back to sit across the table.

Marinette pursed her lips as she looked at the pink tinting both men’s cheeks before she cleared her throat to get their attention. “We haven’t ordered anything yet. We didn’t know if you wanted to eat here or go somewhere quieter.”

It should’ve been off-putting to see her long-time partner so obviously enamored with someone else, but it wasn’t. Maybe it was because it was Nino and until a few years ago, he’d always been around and it felt natural for him to be back in the picture. Maybe it was because she already knew Adrien had a crush on him so it wasn’t surprising. Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that she was harboring on her own feelings for the other man. Whatever it was, it didn’t bother her when she had to repeat herself to get an answer from them.

“Sorry,” Nino laughed sheepishly, rolling his bottom lip under his teeth. “Can you say that one more time?”

“Yeah, it’s really loud in here,” Adrien agreed with a slight air of embarrassment.

Marinette shared a smirk for both of them. “Mmhmm.”

“Please, Mari. I’m sorry we were rude.” 

Nino looks so earnest that Marinette almost wants to reassure him that it didn’t actually bother her but she narrowed her eyes instead. “If you’re actually going to listen this time.”

He reached across the table to cover her hands with his large, warm ones. “I promise I’m all ears. And please don’t joke about the size of them; I’m still sensitive about that.”

She laughed and slipped one of her hands out of his grasp so she could put it on top of his. “I would never. I love your ears; they’re cute.”

The tips of said ears were darkening. “Ah, I don’t know about that.”

“You know Marinette always tells the truth about the things she likes.” Adrien put his hand over hers and lifted it while keeping a hold of it as he pulled their joined hands closer to their side of the table. “How long are you going to be in town? We’ve really missed seeing you.”

“I’ve missed you guys too. That’s actually what I’m trying to decide.” Nino grabbed a napkin from the holder and started to tear the corner into little shreds. “I came back for a job interview and they offered me the position so now I have to decide if I want to move back or not.”

“Wow, that’s great!” Pure joy filled Adrien’s face. “Why wouldn’t you come back?”

“Uh, well...” Nino tore more at the napkin. “I’ve kinda been seeing someone but it’s not really...I don’t know. I guess I’m just trying to figure out if it’s worth sticking it out or not. We’ve been through a lot together.”

Marinette could feel Adrien deflate beside her and could commiserate the feeling. “That’s understandable.”

“I guess. She’s, uh...I don’t know. We don’t really work, but...” He trailed off with a small frown before pasting on a smile as he looked at them. “But look at you guys! You look just as happy as you did years ago. I’ve been wondering when I was going to get a wedding invite.”

“You and everyone else,” Adrien replied with a playful elbow in Marinette’s side.

“We get that a lot,” she agreed. “And we’ll probably get married soonish but there’s no rush.”

“And we’ll probably be even worse at hiding it when we’re playing heroes.”

“That too.”

Nino shook his head. “I can’t believe you guys are still doing that. It’s awesome but you must be exhausted.”

“Some days.”

“Most days.”

“Seeing old friends helps though.” Marinette looked around the full bar. “Would you be interested in reliving the old days and coming back to our place and ordering in? It’s getting really crowded in here. I’m sure Wayzz would like to see you.”

“I’d love that.”

Adrien hugged Marinette to him, pressing a kiss to her temple. “We’d love it too. We can regale you with some of our horrible failures at protecting the other Miraculous.”

Marinette covered her face with her hands and groaned. “It’s been a learning process.”

“I have no doubt there have been plenty of successes too.” 

They stood together and Adrien offered Nino Marinette’s arm as they moved around each other. “Why don’t you and Marinette go wait out front and I’ll settle up.”

Nino covered Marinette’s hand resting on his arm with his own and patted it. “I’d be honored to escort such a lovely lady.”

There was no telling what the future held, but as Marinette eventually slipped into the backseat of the towncar with Adrien on one side and Nino on the other, something clicked into place. It wasn’t that what she and Adrien had was missing anything, but it was almost as if Nino being around again added that extra special warmth that was too wonderful to ignore. Whether he remained their friend or became something more, neither of them could ever deny that Nino would always be theirs.


	26. Marinette and Adrien

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, I've been gone for a hot minute, huh? Something short and sweet to ease back into things. :D

“When I said we should check out the end of the year sales for things for the apartment, this is not exactly what I had in mind. This is too many LEGO sets.” Marinette crossed her arms and looked down at the stacks of boxes. “We might’ve gone overboard.”

“First of all, there’s no such thing as too many LEGO sets,” Adrien corrected with an air of authority as he started a new stack of boxes consisting only of brick-constructed vehicles. “And second, they were on clearance!”

“Still though. We have more LEGO boxes than furniture.” She glanced around their newly rented and sparse apartment. “I’m just saying we might’ve made some bad choices shopping today.”

He threw his arms wide and grinned. “If worst comes to worst, we can make furniture from all these LEGOs! A LEGO couch and a LEGO loveseat and a LEGO dining room table--”

“I think I’m going to move back in with my parents,” she teased, turning on her heel to walk towards the door.

Adrien jumped up from his crouched position and grabbed her wrist before she could make it more than a few steps away. “Would you really abandon me in my time of need, my Lady?” He blinked large green eyes and stuck out his bottom lip as far as it would go.

“Your time of need?” She laughed and pinched his pouting lip. It retracted and he licked his lips with a deep chuckle.

“I can’t possibly put all these sets together by myself! Think of the pain to my poor fingers. It could hamper my crime-fighting abilities.” He reached up to wiggle the pads of his fingers against her cheeks and received a giggle in return. 

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Maybe a little,” he admitted. “And yeah, I kinda lost my mind when we were in the store. We can try to take some back if you want to.” He pulled her into his arms and rested his chin on the top of her head.

“We’re still in budget for now,” she sighed, relaxing into his hold. “And they really were super good deals. Our next big purchases should probably be more in the necessity and comfort area of things though.”

“So, what you’re saying is no more LEGOs for a while.” 

Marinette pulled back enough to look up and give him a knowing nod. “I think we’re good on LEGO sets for the next few months or maybe even years.”

“That’s rough.”

“You’ll survive, Kitty.” She reached up to boop his nose. “I have faith in you.”

Adrien’s smile widened then and he pulled her into a tighter hug. “You know I’m weak to anything you want when you say that.”

“I’ll try to only use my power for good.” She tickled his sides before pulling away and putting her hands on her hips. “Okay, so which one of these are we tackling first?”

“You really wanna build them with me?” he asked hopefully.

Marinette smirked. “You thought I was going to let you have all the fun?”


End file.
